Nashville Opera presenting IL Trovatore

Nashville Opera and Regions Bank present Giuseppe Verdi’s masterpiece ‘Il Trovatore.’ In this swash-buckling adventure opera, Manrico, the gypsy warrior, attempts to save his beloved Leonora from the clutches of Count Di Luna. Count Di Luna has also kidnapped Manrico’s mother, Azucena, and it threatening her with imminent death unless Manrico surrenders. The plot may have more twists and turns than a Stephen King novel, but add the thrilling music of Giuseppe Verdi (the father of Italian opera) and you have an evening of thrills and chills set to some of the best vocal music ever written.

Nashville Opera will offer two performances: Thursday, April 10 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, April 12 at 8 p.m. in the Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s Andrew Jackson Hall located at 505 Deaderick Street. Seats range from $17 to $80. A limited number of ‘pay-what-you-can’ tickets are available directly from Nashville Opera. For tickets call Nashville Opera at (615) 832-5242 or on-line at www.nashvilleopera.org. Group sales are available by calling Nashville Opera. ‘Il Trovatore’ is sung in Italian with projected English translations.

Acclaimed soprano Laquita Mitchell performs the role of Leonora with tenor Dongwon Shin as Manrico, and baritone Lester Lynch as Count Di Luna. ‘Il Trovatore’ features the the Nashville Symphony under the direction of Maestro Mark Flint. Other principal artists include bass Gustav Andreassen, mezzo-soprano Jessie Raven, tenor Chad Hilligus, mezzo-soprano Jami Rhodes, and baritone Jonathan Green. The Nashville Opera Chorus is under the direction of chorusmaster Amy Tate Williams.

‘Il Trovatore’ is one of the most famous operas in Verdi’s vast repertoire,’ says John Hoomes, artistic director of Nashville Opera. ‘It’s a swashbuckling story with plenty of plot twists and intrigue combined with lush arias, and some of the most powerful orchestrations in all of opera.’

A detailed plot synopsis and composer biographical information is available at: http://www.nashvilleopera.org/html/StudyGuides.php

Nashville Opera’s production Giuseppe Verdi’s Il Trovatore is made possible by the generous support of Guardian Sponsors HCA-TriStar, and Ingram. Season sponsors include the Nashville Opera Guild, Metro Nashville Arts Commission and the Tennessee Arts Commission. Baldwin is official piano of Nashville Opera, and Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel is the official hotel.