大象传媒

Long ago, the previous Spanish Count di Luna had an old woman burned

at the stake because he believed she was responsible for bewitching his

younger son, little Garcia. Out of revenge, Azucena, the old woman鈥檚

daughter, abducted Garcia. Shortly thereafter, the charred skeleton of a

child was found. The old count refused to believe that Garcia was dead and,

shortly before he died, made his older son swear never to give up looking

for his missing brother.

听

Fifteen years later, civil war was raging in Spain, and the remaining older

son 鈥� now Count di Luna 鈥� had become a soldier. The troubadour Manrico,

who believes himself to be Azucena鈥檚 son, is fighting for the other side.

Manrico and di Luna also find themselves confronting each other in the

field of love: both are in love with the lady-in-waiting Leonora, who for her

part loves Manrico.

听

One night Leonora hears Manrico singing close by in the palace garden;

she runs to meet him. Confused by the dark, she throws herself into the

arms of the man whom she recognizes too late as Count di Luna. Thus he

finds out that Leonora is in love with Manrico. Manrico also comes running,

whereupon di Luna challenges him to duel. Di Luna is defeated, but

Manrico spares his life.

听

Sometime later, Manrico is present when Azucena experiences a vision in

which she once again lives through the terrible death of her mother at the

stake. Half out of her mind, Azucena admits that she vengefully thrust a

child into the flames 鈥� but through a terrible mistake she burned her own

child and not the abducted child. She is however able to allay Manrico鈥檚

mounting doubts: he is her son.

听

When Leonora receives the false report that Manrico was defeated in the

duel, she determines to enter a convent. To prevent her from doing so, di

Luna plans to kidnap her. However he is stopped by Manrico, who takes the

opportunity to flee with Leonora to Castellor castle, of which he has been

appointed commander.

听

When Azucena tries to make her way to Manrico, she is captured by di

Luna鈥檚 followers. Manrico sets out to free her, but also falls into the hands

of his enemy. In despair, Leonora offers herself to di Luna if he will pardon

Manrico. Di Luna happily accepts this proposition, little knowing

that Leonora has taken poison to avoid having to spend her life with the

Count, whom she does not love. She manages to inform her beloved

Manrico about his pardon before dying in his arms. Furious, di Luna orders

that Manrico be executed. The execution has scarcely taken place when

Azucena spits the words at him: 鈥淭hat was your brother.鈥�