Act I. Atrium of the palace of Aliaferia, with a door leading to the

apartments of the _Count di Luna_. _Ferrando_, the captain of the guard, and retainers, are reclining near the door. Armed men are standing guard in the background. It is night. The men are on guard because _Count di Luna_ desires to apprehend a minstrel knight, a troubadour, who has been heard on several occasions to be serenading from the palace garden, the _Duchess Leonora_, for whom a deep, but unrequited passion sways the _Count_.

Weary of the watch, the retainers beg _Ferrando_ to tell them the story of the _Count's_ brother, the stolen child. This _Ferrando_ proceeds to do in the ballad, "Abbietta zingara" (Sat there a gypsy hag).

_Ferrando's_ gruesome ballad and the comments of the horror-stricken chorus dominate the opening of the opera. The scene is an unusually effective one for a subordinate character like _Ferrando_. But in "Il Trovatore" Verdi is lavish with his melodies--more so, perhaps, than in any of his other operas.

The scene changes to the gardens of the palace. On one side a flight of marble steps leads to _Leonora's_ apartment. Heavy clouds obscure the moon. _Leonora_ and _Inez_ are in the garden. From the confidante's questions and _Leonora's_ answers it is gathered that _Leonora_ is enamoured of an unknown but valiant knight who, lately entering a tourney, won all contests and was crowned victor by her hand. She knows her love is requited, for at night she has heard her _Troubadour_ singing below her window. In the course of this narrative _Leonora_ has two solos. The first of these is the romantic "Tacea la notte placida" (The night calmly and peacefully in beauty seemed reposing).

[Music:

Tacea la notte placida, E bella in ciel sereno;]

It is followed by the graceful and engaging "Di tale amor che dirsi" (Of such a love how vainly),

[Music: Di tale amor che dirsi]

with its brilliant cadenza.

_Leonora_ and _Inez_ then ascend the steps and retire into the palace. The _Count di Luna_ now comes into the garden. He has hardly entered before the voice of the _Troubadour_, accompanied on a lute, is heard from a nearby thicket singing the familiar romanza, "Deserto sulla terra" (Lonely on earth abiding).

[Music: Deserto sulla terra]

From the palace comes _Leonora_. Mistaking the Count in the shadow of the trees for her _Troubadour_, she hastens toward him. The moon emerging from a cloud, she sees the figure of a masked cavalier, recognizes it as that of her lover, and turns from the _Count_ toward the _Troubadour_. Unmasking, the _Troubadour_ now discloses his identity as _Manrico_, one who, as a follower of the Prince of Biscay, is proscribed in Aragon. The men draw their swords. There is a trio that fairly seethes with passion--"Di geloso amor sprezzato" (Fires of jealous, despised affection).

[Music]

These are the words, in which the _Count_ begins the trio. It continues with "Un istante almen dia loco" (One brief moment thy fury restraining).

[Music: Un istante almen dia loco]

The men rush off to fight their duel. _Leonora_ faints.