Royal Opera House: Il Trovatore

Manrico and the Count di Luna are locked in a fierce rivalry over Leonora, and that rivalry is only the surface of a darker story. Manrico's adopted mother Azucena carries a long-buried secret tied to a violent past, and old wounds resurface with catastrophic consequences for everyone involved. Adele Thomas stages the action in a grotesque, medieval world inspired by Hieronymus Bosch, where superstition and dreamlike imagery heighten the sense of danger. Antonio Pappano conducts Verdi's score, and the production spotlights the opera's thunderous moments, including the famous Anvil chorus, while preserving the work's emotional intensity and tragic stakes.

This filmed Royal Opera House production was staged by Adele Thomas in 2023, drawing on Verdi's Il Trovatore and featuring Yusif Eyvazov, Ludovic Tézier, Jamie Barton and Roberto Tagliavini, with Antonio Pappano on the podium.

As a recorded opera performance rather than a mainstream feature, its release focused on cinemas that program live and captured opera, plus specialist screenings and home viewing for opera fans. It wasn’t positioned for wide commercial competition, so there are no headline box office figures tied to a traditional theatrical run.

The production’s Bosch-like visuals and ritualistic imagery are likely to stick in viewers' minds, and the inclusion of the Anvil chorus gives several scenes a visceral lift. Staging choices push Verdi’s drama into a surreal register, which makes this Il Trovatore stand out among conventional period presentations and invites debate about spectacle versus psychological depth.

At its core the work hinges on obsession, vengeance, maternal bonds and the weight of inherited sin, with music that drives the emotions forward. Vocally demanding roles are handled by strong soloists who balance power and lyricism, while Pappano’s leadership keeps the orchestral force taut and focused, emphasizing the opera’s darker moral currents.