Drama, Intrigue and Passion

FRANCES FORBES-CARBINES finds Giuseppe Verdi's 'Il Trovatore' at Covent Garden an incredible production of a glorious revenge-fest

I'd like to extend an apology to all attendees at the press night of Il Trovatore at the Royal Opera House in London, UK on Wednesday 26 February 2025 who had to suffer my enthusiastic whistling of Verdi's Anvil Chorus in Covent Garden's Paul Hamlyn Hall, the huge glass conservatory in which champagne is served, in the interval of the same. Sorry. Though also not sorry - that tune is a banger.

In terms of its drama, Il Trovatore is a glorious revenge-fest. Curses are uttered, threats of vengeance are made and enacted, and in this production there's a wonderful scene midway in which nuns fight with soldiers and gypsies in a scene that looks like it's been taken straight out of a Hieronymous Bosch painting. The nuns rain down ineffectual punches on the soldiers - the bemused soldiers struggle to contain the ladies of Christ with their swords and spears. Props to director Adele Thomas - she's clearly done her homework regarding fifteenth century attire, mannerisms and mise-en-scène and it shows.

I was delighted at the use of fifteenth century imagery throughout the production: the graphics were very convincing as based on those found in illuminated manuscripts, a little wonky here and there as per the artistry of that century. The costumes were excellent, garters and hoes, although I did not understand the stripey costumes of the gypsies who famously sing the Anvil Chorus - that said, they were very visually striking and effective.

Agnieszka Rehlis as Azucena with members of the chorus as gypsies in Adele Thomas' production of Verdi's Il Trovatore for The Royal Opera.
Photo © 2025 Camilla Greenwell

Richard Bratby, chief classical music critic of The Spectator and formerly a concerts manager of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestras, writes in the programme that:

Il Trovatore is a masterpiece: a blast-furnace of musical and dramatic inspiration from a pivotal moment in Verdi's career.

Italian conductor Giacomo Sagripanti leads the opera with much gusto, bringing out the orchestra's beautiful melodies which, with many a jaunty air, are reminiscent of Rossini's light works. One thing that I wish that the Royal Opera House would do is repeat the surtitles where characters repeat a line a few times: at present the surtitles immediately disappear and those of us with short memories will struggle to recall what was said, taking our attention away from the glorious music at hand.

Il Trovatore had its first UK production at Covent Garden on 10 May 1855, and went on to be regularly staged during the Victorian era. The current production by Adele Thomas opened on 2 June 2023, with Antonia Pappano conducting. Manrico, the leading man, was sung by American tenor Michael Fabiano, who was in very good voice, exhibiting affecting pathos at the right moments and stirring manly courage at others.

Agnieszka Rehlis as Azucena and Michael Fabiano as Manrico in Adele Thomas' production of Verdi's Il Trovatore for The Royal Opera.
Photo © 2025 Camilla Greenwell

Ferrando, the count's right hand man, was sung excellently by Italian bass Riccardo Fassi: in appearance he is the spitting image of the conductor of my orchestra, London Euphonia: Dario Peluso (another Italian)!

Russian baritone Aleksei Isaev was brilliant as the venal Count di Luna, with violent inclinations and a thirst for blood. Transylvanian soprano Valentina Puskas was excellent as Ines: vengeful and true, while American soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen was amazing as Leonora and in very good voice: pious, devoted and doggedly loyal.

Rachel Willis-Sørensen as Leonora and Aleksei Isaev as Count di Luna in Adele Thomas' production of Verdi's Il Trovatore for The Royal Opera.
Photo © 2025 Camilla Greenwell

The character of Azucena, the woman whose mother was brutally burned at the stake and who, blinded by lust for vengeance, throws a live baby onto the pyre, is a complex one.

She is 'a brilliant character', director Adele Thomas said:

She's damaged - but more than that, she's a survivor. And in the course of one sentence in the libretto, she can go from being incredibly powerful, to suffering from a form of dementia, to being seductive or a total liar. I think she's one of the most extraordinary characters not just in opera, but in the whole of theatre.

Do see Il Trovatore: it really is an incredible production, all drama, intrigue and passion, with excellent scenery and costumes and a marvellous cast performing at the top of their game. Bravi tutti.

There are more articles here about operatic music, nineteenth century classical music, vocal music, choral music, orchestral music, Italy, Poland, Romania, USA, Covent Garden, London, UK, and you can read our latest concert reviews here.

The background image on this page has been derived from the right-hand 'Hell' panel of the 1490-1500 oil-on-canvas painting The Garden of Earthly Delights in Madrid's Museo del Prado, attributed to Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch (circa 1450-1516).

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