from Act III of the Italian opera La Forza del Destino by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Francesco Maria Piave

Role: Don Alvaro, Leonora's half-Indian suitor

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: spinto

Setting: Italy, near the town of Velletri

Synopsis: Don Alvaro, who has changed his name to Don Federico Herreros, is musing on his lost love - Leonora. He decries the fate that befell his parents and denied his royal throne. He has come to Italy as Captain of the Spanish Grenadiers to fight in the army.

from Act III, Scene 1 of the Italian opera La Forza del Destino by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Francesco Maria Piave

Role: Don Carlo, the son of the Marquis of Calatrava

Voice Part: baritone       Fach: lyric baritone

Setting: A room near Velletri. The battle is over and Don Alvaro is in surgery.

Synopsis: Once mortal enemies, Alvaro and Carlo have concealed their true identities from each other and have become friends. Alvaro has been wounded in battle and is undergoing surgery and may die. Carlo has been entrusted with Alvaro's papers and decides to check them to find his true identity. He discovers that his friend is, in fact, the man who killed his father. The Surgeon enters and tells him that Alvaro will live. Carlo declares his joy that his enemy has lived so that Carlo may kill him.

from Act II, Scene 1 of the Italian opera La Forza del Destino by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Francesco Maria Piave

Role: Don Carlo, the son of the Marquis of Calatrava

Voice Part: baritone       Fach: lyric baritone

Setting: The village of Hornachuelos

Synopsis: Don Carlo is looking for his sister and her lover who murdered his father. The mayor oh Honachuelos asks him for his story and Carlo responds by telling the people in the inn that he is Pereda, an honor student at Salamanca.

from Act I of the Italian opera La Forza del Destino by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Francesco Maria Piave

Role: Leonora, the daughter of the Marquis of Calatrava

Voice Part: soprano       Fach: spinto

Setting: Leonora's room in her father's house in Seville

Synopsis: Leonora has been debating running away with her lover Don Alvaro. Leonora's father is against Alvaro because of his mixed race. She is tortued by her feelings toward her father, homeland, and Don Alvaro.

from Act IV, Scene 2 of the Italian opera La Forza del Destino by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Francesco Maria Piave

Role: Leonora, the daughter of the Marquis of Calatrava

Voice Part: soprano       Fach: spinto

Setting: Outside the cave where Leonora has come to live out her remaining days in repentance.

Synopsis: Leonora calls for peace from God on her tortued soul. She still loves Alvaro after all these years and the bad things that have happened. She calls upon God to end her suffering.

from Act II, Scene 2 of the Italian opera La Forza del Destino by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Francesco Maria Piave

Role: Leonora, the daughter of the Marquis of Calatrava

Voice Part: soprano       Fach: spinto

Setting: A small flat space at the doors of the Church of Our Lady of Angels.

Synopsis: Leonora has just arrived at the church disguised as a man. After a close call at the inn with her brother who wants to find her to avenge their father's death, she gives thanks to God and calls upon the merciful Virgin to forgive her sins.

from Act II, Scene 1 of the Italian opera La Forza del Destino by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Francesco Maria Piave

Role: Preziosilla, a gypsy fortune teller

Voice Part: mezzo-soprano       Fach: lyric mezzo

Setting: The village of Hornachuelos

Synopsis: Preziosilla has asked if anyone would like to have their fortune told and all respond - "Yes! all of us!" She launches into an aria in praise of the beauty of war.