Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The Troubadour Takes the Apollo in 1853


Callas: "D'amor sull'ali rosee"
"Il Trovatore (The Troubadour) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play El Trovador (1836) by Antonio García Gutiérrez. Cammarano died in mid-1852 before completing the libretto. This gave the composer the opportunity to propose significant revisions, which were accomplished under his direction by the young librettist, Leone Emanuele Bardare, and they are seen

King: "Di quella pira"
largely in the expansion of the role of Leonora. The opera was first performed at the Teatro Apollo, Rome, on January 19, 1853 where it 'began a victorious march throughout the operatic world.' Today it is given very frequently and is a staple of the standard operatic repertoire. It appears at number 17 on Opera America's list of the 20 most-performed operas in North America." [Source]