Il trovatore - Keynotes and More
Verdi
“All you need for a successful performance of Il trovatore is the four greatest singers in the world.”
— Enrico Caruso (attributed)
- Review | Pacific Opera Victoria’s Il trovatore: “Lush, complicated women”
- Il trovatore | British Theatre Guide
“Packed with fabulous singing talent” | Opera Canada - Vengeance, jealousy, and betrayal take centre stage in Pacific Opera’s Il Trovatore – Victoria Times Colonist
- Pacific Opera Victoria’s creative director, Brenna Corner talks about her vision for this season of opera | On The Island | On Demand | CBC Listen
- Two rivals, one secret: Verdi’s Il trovatore takes centre stage at the Royal Theatre Oct. 16 to Oct. 24 | Victoria News
Inside Opera | Il Trovatore
Step inside the music and history of Verdi’s Il trovatore in this recording of Pacific Opera Victoria’s Inside Opera. Host Robert Holliston traces Verdi’s development as an opera composer and is joined by baritone Grant Youngblood, who sings Conte di Luna in Pacific Opera’s production.
Grant performs “Lo vedremo, veglio audace” from Verdi’s Ernani, then joins Robert for a conversation about Verdi, bel canto singing, and the work behind a singing career. He also answers audience questions about his own path as a performer and why natural talent is only one part of learning to sing. The event closes with Grant’s performance of “Speak Low,” by Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash, from the Broadway musical One Touch of Venus.
The House Program offers a closer look at the story, artists, and creative team behind Il trovatore. Download your copy to explore the production in advance or revisit it anytime.
The music of Il trovatore has long resonated beyond the opera house, including in A Night at the Opera, where it becomes the centrepiece of a brilliantly staged comic sequence. As Verdi’s score unfolds, the Marx Brothers transform its intensity into something unexpected; blending virtuosic singing with perfectly timed chaos. The result is both a celebration and a playful subversion of opera’s grandest traditions.