by InTrieste
One of Giuseppe Verdi’s most enduring operas, Il Trovatore, will return this season to the stage of the Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi, marking its first appearance in the city in eight years.
The production, part of the theater’s 2025–26 opera and ballet season, runs from Feb. 27 through March 8, with an additional performance scheduled in Udine on March 14. Conducting will be the Spanish maestro Jordi Bernàcer, while the staging is by the French director Louis Désiré. The production was originally created in 2023 at the Opéra de Saint-Étienne in France, in collaboration with the opera houses of Saint-Étienne and Marseille.
First performed in Rome in 1853, “Il Trovatore” quickly reached Trieste the same year and became a fixture of the local repertoire. Its dramatic story — set in medieval Spain and centered on love, revenge and hidden identities — has remained a cornerstone of Verdi’s international popularity.
The current staging, sometimes referred to as the “Red Trovatore,” is known for its stark visual language and symbolic use of color. Critics have noted its emphasis on psychological tension rather than spectacle, presenting the opera’s scenes in a stylized, painterly form.
The cast features a mix of established performers and younger singers. The Azerbaijani tenor Yusif Eyvazov makes his Trieste debut in the role of Manrico, sharing performances with the Italian tenor Samuele Simoncini. The soprano Anna Pirozzi, widely recognized for her interpretations of Leonora, alternates with Alessia Nadin, who takes on the role for the first time.
The baritone Youngjun Park and Daniele Terenzi share the part of the Count di Luna. The mezzo-soprano Daniela Barcellona, a Trieste native best known for her bel canto repertoire, makes her debut as Azucena, alongside Chiara Mogini. The bass Carlo Lepore and Yongheng Dong perform as Ferrando.
The performances will be accompanied by the orchestra and chorus of the Teatro Verdi, under the direction of chorus master Paolo Longo.
Beyond the stage, the theater has expanded its audience services for the run, including hospitality offerings during intermissions and transportation arrangements for attendees.
