Giuseppe Gipali

"This is a family tragedy, and in many ways, it is a very contemporary story." This is how Robert Wilson described Il trovatore, or Le Trouvère in its French version, commissioned from Verdi after the incredible success of the premiere of his Italian version in 1853. With a few changes and alterations to the original music, this version was first performed in 1857 at the Paris Opera. A light show unique to the stage director unfolds in the cold architecture, creating the perfect framing for Verdi’s music, dramatic and dark in this timeless opera.

The love between Sita, the priestess of the temple of Indra, and an unknown stranger, who is actually Alim the King of Lahore, is hindered by Scindia who wants to take the throne and to marry Sita. When Scindia discovers the lover's true identity, he accuses him before the high priest Timour, who condemnsns him to go into battle against the muslims. In the battle Alim is defeated, and, seriouslyy wounded, returns to Lahore where he ides in the arms of his beloved Sita. Having g risen in to the Hindu paradise and been reincarnated aim turns to Lahore just in time to witness the usurper's splendid coronation and to reveal Scindia's crimes to the entire populace, In the last act the two lovers take refuge in the temple of Indra to escape from Scindia: Sita takes her own life with a dagger thus provoking Alim's death. The two lovers will be together in the hereafter.