Die Macht des Schicksals
By Giuseppe Verdi/ Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave after Don Álvaro, o La fuerza del sino, by Ángel de Saavedra
Serious Opera, Orchestra Accompaniment, Conductor Score
The opera LA FORZA DEL DESTINO (THE FORCE OF DESTINY) by Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) was written in 1862 and premiered in the Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre of Saint Petersburg, Russia on November 10 of that same year. The libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave after Don Álvaro, o La fuerza del sino, by Ángel de Saavedra. After Alvaro accidentally kills his lover Leonora's father, a powerful general, Leonora's brother Carlo vows to kill him. Carlo and Alvaro later meet again in war and become fast friends without knowing each other's identity. After Alvaro is wounded, Carlo discovers his identity and seeks him out years later, killing both Alvaro and Leonora. Following many performances around the world that included some minor revisions, Verdi made extensive revisions in 1869. That revised version, which premiered at La Scala in Milan on February 27, 1869, is frequently performed today.