This classic opera from Verdi has everything you'd expect from the very best: a love story, jealousy, revenge, a duel, a poisoning, a beheading and a burning at the stake. With all this tragedy, is it any surprise that someone rejoices at the end? (We won't ruin it by telling you who.) Come enjoy more riveting entertainment in one evening than you can get in a whole season of network TV.

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Full Synopsis

Background: Fifteen years ago in the night an old gypsy woman was chased away from the cradle of Count di Luna's infant son, García. He developed a fever, which convinced the count that she had cursed his son, so he ordered her to be found and burned at the stake. From the flames the gypsy called to her daughter, Azucena, to avenge her. Azucena, a mother herself, kidnaps García intending to throw him into the same fire that claimed her mother's life, but horrified at what she's about to do and haunted by her mother's screams, she mistakenly ends the life of her own child. She takes García to raise him as her own. Count di Luna finds the charred remains of a child in the ashes where the gypsy died. However, not convinced that the remains were those of García, he makes his older son swear to never stop searching for his brother when he becomes the Count.

ACT I: The Duel
Civil war has broken out with a revolt against the king of Spain. Ferrando, a captain in the king's army and an officer under Count di Luna, rouses the sleeping men who are keeping watch at Leonora's window because di Luna fears a rival for her love in the form of a troubadour. Ferrando tells them the story of the elder Count di Luna, the child's charred remains and the burned gypsy whose ghost haunts her murderers.

Leonora lingers outside, looking for her troubadour. She's hopelessly in love with him, but her companion Ines has a terrible premonition and pleads with Leonora to be careful with her heart as she leads Leonora inside. Count di Luna, hiding in the garden, plans to declare his love to Leonora, but he hears his sworn enemy and follower of the rebellion, Manrico, singing a love song. Also hearing the troubadour, Leonora rushes out and mistakes di Luna for her love at the same time Manrico arrives. Enraged the two men rush off to duel and Leonora collapses.

ACT II: The Gypsy
In the mountains the gypsies in camp return to their metalwork. Manrico has come to the camp so his mother, Azucena, can tend his wounds, and she recounts once again the horrific end her mother faced at the old Count di Luna's hands. Manrico claims to have never heard the story before. Azucena tells how she murdered her own child in error. Manrico asks, if she killed her son, then who is he? The gypsy, realizing that she has shared too many details, argues that she is his mother and reminds him how she nursed his wounds. Manrico muses about what stopped him from killing di Luna at their duel. Word arrives that Castellor has been captured, the same place where Leonora, believing Manrico dead, intends to enter the convent. He rushes off to stop her.

Near the cloister, Count di Luna and his men wait to intercept Leonora and take her away by force, but Manrico and his followers arrive in time to stop them. In the midst of the skirmish, Manrico and Leonora escape.

ACT III: The Gypsy's Son
While planning a siege, Ferrando reports the capture of a gypsy woman to di Luna. When she is brought in for questioning and the Count reveals himself, her agitation exposes her as the gypsy's daughter from so long ago. Count di Luna orders her to the same fate as her mother, and when Azucena cries out for Manrico to save her, di Luna realizes that she will bring his enemy to him.

With a battle about to wage around them, Manrico and Leonora prepare to take wedding vows, but before they can wed, Ruiz, Manrico's messenger, enters to tell of Azucena's ordered execution. Manrico rushes to save his mother.

ACT IV: The Torture
Ruiz takes Leonora to where Manrico is being held prisoner. Leonora prays for his salvation, and Manrico's goodbye is heard inside the prison. When di Luna arrives she offers herself to the Count in exchange for Manrico's release. Unknown to di Luna she drinks poison from her ring.

In the prison cell, Manrico tries to comfort Azucena. Leonora enters to tell Manrico that he is free. Realizing the bargain she has struck with di Luna, Manrico denounces her as unfaithful, but the poison begins to take effect and Leonora dies in Manrico's arms. Count di Luna comes to the cell and sees how Leonora betrayed him. In a rage he orders Manrico's immediate beheading and forces Azucena to watch through the window. The gypsy cries out that her mother has been avenged. Count di Luna has killed his own brother.