The Battle of Legnano

Act I: He is alive! Milan in 1176. Soldiers from the Lombard League gather to defend their country against the German emperor, Frederick Barbarossa. Among the troops from Verona, Rolando recognizes Arrigo, a friend from his youth whom he thought was dead. He looks forward to fighting alongside him again. Rolando’s wife Lida was originally engaged to Arrigo and married his friend only on receiving news of his alleged death, but she has never recovered from her loss. Her agitation, when she hears that Arrigo is alive, allows the German prisoner of war, Marcovaldo, to guess her true feelings. At his reunion with Lida, Arrigo heaps bitter reproaches on her.

Act II: Barbarossa. As the ambassadors from Milan, Rolando and Arrigo ask the Como town council to join the Lombard League. Their reply is given not by the councillors but by Barbarossa himself, who suddenly enters and, pointing to his assembled troops, threatens to destroy Milan.

Act III: Infamy. In the crypt of the basilica of Sant’Ambrogio in Milan, Arrigo joins the Knights of Death and vows to defend his fatherland with his life. Lida has learnt of Arrigo’s decision and in a letter she requests an audience with him. Rolando bids farewell to his family prior to the battle and asks Arrigo to look after Lida and their son in the event of his falling in battle. Shortly afterwards, Marcovaldo enters, bearing Lida’s letter, which a stunned Rolando takes to be proof of her infidelity. That night Lida tries to persuade Arrigo to abandon the Knights of Death. Rolando finds the two of them together and is convinced of their guilt. Arrigo’s punishment, however, will not be death but the shame of not being allowed to fight for his fatherland. He locks him up with Lida, but when the troops set off, Arrigo leaps from the balcony in order to join the other soldiers.

Act IV: To die for the fatherland. The Lombards have won, and Arrigo has struck down Barbarossa in battle. But he himself has been fatally wounded, and on his deathbed he reconciles Rolando and his wife, who has always remained faithful to him. Arrigo kisses the flag of the victorious League and then dies. /Eva Reisinger/

1849

Libretto by Salvatore Cammarano

Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi

Orchestra del Teatro Lirico "Giuseppe Verdi"

Conducted by Boris Brott

Staged by Ruggero Cappuccio

Cast: Enrico Giuseppe Iori, Francesco Musinu, Federico Benetti, Gariele Sagona, Leonardo

López Linares, Dimitra Theodossiou