Verdi's opera Il Trovatore is the second work of the famous group of three operas popularly known as the "Popular Trilogy", comprising Rigoletto (Venice, 1851) and La Traviata (Venice, 1853) with Il Trovatore in between. Premiered with resounding success at the Teatro Apollo in Rome in January 1853, it was part of the dazzling crowning achievement of the composer's "youthful" production, although by that time Giuseppe Verdi was about to turn forty and was living comfortably at his estate in Sant'Agata, in the company of the soprano Giuseppina Strepponi.
The plot
In four acts, the action takes place in Spain at the beginning of the 15th century. It revolves around the struggle between the Conde de Luna, a nobleman in the service of a prince, and Manrico, the troubadour, who is also an army officer in the service of another prince. Both are brothers but do not know it. At the center of all the conflict is, naturally, a girl, a noble lady named Leonora, madly in love with Manrico, as she establishes in the first aria she sings, in the first act.
Chorus of the Gypsies
Act II opens with the dramatic action set in a gypsy camp at the foot of the mountains. The transhumant gypsies work the brass while singing one of the most celebrated and popular choruses of Verdi's production. It is the well-known Chorus of the Gypsies, also called Chorus of the anvil, because it requires the use of hammers hitting anvils for its scenic execution, as a novel percussion instrument.
Its first verses are Vedi! le fosche notturne spoglie (and so the chorus is called, as usual), which can be translated as: Look! The dark night turns away.
It is presented here in a version of soloists, chorus, and orchestra of the Hungarian National Opera.
