Premiere of Verdi's Il Trovatore at Teatro Apollo, Rome

Background. Verdi began work on Il Trovatore after his mother's death in June 1851. Work on the opera did not proceed while Verdi wrote and premiered Rigoletto in 1851. An agreement with the Rome Opera company secured a premiere for January 1853, during the 1852/1853 Carnival season. After returning to Sant'Agata by mid-March 1852, Verdi immediately resumed work on Trovatore after a year's delay. Librettist Cammarano died in July 1852, and Verdi turned to Leone Emanuele Bardare, meeting the new librettist in Rome around 20 December 1852.

Premiere. The premiere occurred at the Teatro Apollo in Rome on 19 January 1853. The event marked the culmination of a three-year period of musical activity. The opera began a victorious march throughout the operatic world, achieving immense popularity with 229 productions worldwide in the three years following its debut.

Context. After his visit to Rome for Il trovatore in January 1853, Verdi worked on completing La traviata, which he had begun composing after attending The Lady of the Camellias in February 1852. He had little hope of that opera's success, due to his lack of confidence in any of the singers engaged for the season.