went
raving mad.

IL TROVATORE

CHARACTERS OF THE OPERA, WITH THE ORIGINAL CAST AS PRESENTED AT THE
FIRST PERFORMANCE

Leonora Penco
Azucena Goggi
Inez Quadri
Manrico Baucarde
Count di Luna Guicciardi
Ferrando Balderi
Ruiz Bazzoli
An old gipsy.
Messenger, jailer, soldiers, nuns, gipsies, and attendants.

The story belongs to the fifteenth century in Spain, and tells of the
border wars of northern Spain, carried on in the provinces of Arragon
and Biscay.

Composer: Giuseppe Verdi.
Author: Cammarano.

First sung in Rome, _Teatro Apollo_, January, 19, 1853; Paris,
_Theatre des Italiens_, December 23, 1854 (in Italian); at the
_Opera_, January 12, 1857 (in French); London, Covent Garden, May 17,
1855; New York, Academy of Music, April 30, 1855.

ACT I

[Music]

There you are, prepared for almost anything in the way of battle,
murder, or sudden death, to the accompaniment of beautiful music;
opera in true Italian style, at its second best.

Soldiers and servants were gathered about the beautiful columns of a
porch of the Aliaferia palace just before midnight awaiting the return
of the Count di Luna. Among them was Ferrando, the captain of the
Count's guard. All were lounging in the vestibule of the palace
gossiping till it was time to go on duty within.

"Hey, wake up! You'll be caught napping," Ferrando called to his
comrades. "It is time for the Count to come. I suppose he has been
under the Lady Leonora's windows. Ah, he is madly in love with
her--and so jealous of that troubadour who sings beneath her windows
that some day they will meet and kill each other."

This was an old story to the men, and in their effort to keep awake
they clamoured for the story of the Count di Luna's brother, which all
had heard told with more or less of truth; but Ferrando knew the whole
horrible tale better than any one else; besides, it was a good story
to keep awake on.

"Ah, that was a great tragedy for the House of Luna," Ferrando began
with a shiver. "I remember it as if it were but yesterday:"

When the good Count di Luna here resided,
Two children fair he numbered;
One to a faithful nurse was once confided,
By the cradle she slumbered.

At morning when she woke and gazed about her,
Sorely stricken was she,
And what sight do ye think did so confound her?
Cho. ... Wh