The Back-story:

Decades before the opera begins, a Gypsy stole into a nobleman’s house and touched one of two baby boys. The baby grew sick. Thinking that the Gypsy had bewitched him, the nobleman’s family burned her at the stake. The Gypsy’s vengeful daughter kidnapped the sick baby, planning to throw him into the bonfire where her mother had just been burned. But having been through a horrible 24 hours, she was one fruit loop shy of a full bowl, and she accidentally threw her own baby into the fire. Oops!

She raises the nobleman’s baby as her own, still plotting revenge on his family all the while. The baby grows up to become Manrico the Troubadour, who little suspects that the wealthy Count di Luna is his separated-at- birth brother. Cut to the present day (15th Century Spain). Each of the opera’s acts has it’s own Subtitle.

Act I -The Duel:

At Baritone Count Di Luna’s palace, beautiful Soprano Leonora tells a friend about her new love interest: the mysterious knight in black armor who recently serenaded her- the troubadour. Unfortunely, Count di Luna also loves Leonora; He demands to know who the heck this Troubadour is. It’s Manrico, an officer in the enemy army, forbidden on the palace grounds. Manrico and the Count rush away to have a swordfight. In the time-honored tradition of opera heroines, Leonora faints.

Act II-The Gypsy:

Around a Gypsy campfire, Black Knight Manrico joins his mother, the bonfire (baby-tosser), now an old lady. The other Gypsies, pounding on their metal, sing the tune that you’d recognize if we could hum it to you, “the Anvil Chorus” (“Chi del Gitano I giorni abbella?”). Dreamily, Manrico’s old mom (mezzo soprano) tells her version of her own mother’s horrible death. Manrico naturally wonders: if mom threw her own son into the fire, then whose son is He? She changes the subject, scolding him for not killing Count di Luna in the swordfight. A messenger brings two news items. First, Manrico’s been put in charge of the newly captured Castellor fortress, second, Leonora thinks that he’s dead, so she’s going to become a nun. Manrico rushes away to stop her. But Count di Luna has had the same idea, also arriving at the convent. The Count’s men and Manrico’s men fight, and Leonora is carried away by her Knight in Shining armor.

Act II- The Gypsy’s Son:

Count di Luna’s men are attacking Manrico’s palace to rekidnap Leonora. Amid the Chaos, an old Gypsy woman has been captured- Manrico’s mom. In panic, she calls out her son’s name (‘O Manrico, o figlio mio”) Count di Luna realizes that he has caught his enemy’s mother and vows double vengeance.

Inside the fortress, Black Knight Manrico and Leonora prepare for their wedding, trying to enjoy their special day despite the army attacking outside. Suddenly, out the window, Manrico sees the Count leading his mother to a stake for burning. The wedding will just have to wait: there’s not a moment to spare! First however, Manrico takes a few moments to sing of his anger, “Di quella pira” (“of that horrible Prye”) before rushing out to rescue his Gypsy mom.

Act IV -The Torture:

Manrico loses the fight. He and his mother are chained up in the Count’s castle, soon to be burned at the stake. Leonora arrives, hoping to rescue her true love: “d’amor sull’ ali rosee” (“ The horrible fire of Pyre”) as preparations are made to kill Manrico, the choir sings a famous funeral chant, “Miserere”. Leonora offers the Count the ultimate incentive for releasing Manrico: her hand in marriage. That’s an offer he can’t refuse: too bad he doesn’t see her gulp down poison from her secret decoder ring.

In the dungeon, Manrico’s mother dreads dying by barbecue, just like her mother. Manrico, in a tender duet, tries to console her, recalling their happy home in the mountains (“Ai nostril monti”). She falls asleep.

Leonora bursts in and tells Manrico that he’s free. When her poison starts to kick in, he realizes that she’s made the ultimate sacrifice, and he’s stricken with grief. The Count gets what’s happening too- he’s been gypped out of a wife. Leonora dies in Manrico’s arms.

The Count drags Manrico away to be beheaded. Manrico’s mother wakes up and learns that her son is now the Late Manrico. She shrieks that at last, her mother is avenged- the Count has just killed his own brother (“Egli era tuo fratello’).