The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the summer encore of the Met Opera’s “Il Trovatore” (from the 2015 season) on Saturday, Aug. 5 at 1 p.m. at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre.
Soprano Sondra Radvanovsky and tenor Marcelo Álvarez star as the passionate lovers Leonora and Manrico in this gripping Met performance from 2015, alongside the late baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky as the ruthless Count di Luna. Marco Armiliato conducts.
Act I
Ferrando recounts the story of a Gypsy who was burned at the stake for bewitching Count di Luna’s infant brother. Now an adult, the count is searching for the Gypsy’s daughter, who threw the boy into the flames in revenge. Leonora reflects on her love for a mysterious troubadour. Di Luna has been following her. When the troubadour Manrico appears, the two men confront each other.
Act II
A band of Gypsies gathers in the mountains. Among them is Manrico’s mother, Azucena, the Gypsy for whom di Luna is searching. She tells Manrico that the child she murdered was in fact her own. News arrives that Leonora is entering a convent, and Manrico leaves to find her. Di Luna plans to take Leonora by force. He tries to seize her, but Manrico’s men intervene, and the lovers escape.
Act III
Di Luna’s soldiers bring in Azucena, and Ferrando recognizes her as the murderer of the count’s brother. Di Luna orders the Gypsy burnt on a pyre. Inside the castle, Manrico and Leonora are preparing to be married. When news of Azucena’s capture reaches him, he prepares an assault to free her.
Act IV
Manrico and Azucena are imprisoned in a tower. Leonora has come to the prison and offers herself to di Luna in return for her lover’s life. Secretly she takes poison. Manrico tries to comfort Azucena. Leonora tells Manrico that he is saved, but he understands the bargain she has made. She dies in his arms. Di Luna arrives and sends Manrico to his execution. Azucena vengefully cries out that di Luna has killed his own brother.