from Act I, Scene 2 of the Italian opera Alzira by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano

Role: Alzira, Ataliba's daughter

Voice Part: soprano       Fach: lyric coloratura

Setting: Ataliba's rooms in the Governor's palace, Peru, mid-16th century

Synopsis: Alzira is sleeping, confined to her rooms in Gusmano's palace with her servants, when she awakes wondering where her love Zamoro is. She believes that he was just here, but then she realizes that it was but a dream. She goes on to tell her dream, in which she was paddling a canoe away from Gusman when she was caught in a storm. She was about to be drowned when Zamoro reached out from the storm cloud and saved her and filled her with love.

from Act I, Scene 2 of the Italian opera Alzira by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano

Role: Alzira, Ataliba's daughter

Voice Part: soprano       Fach: lyric coloratura

Setting: Ataliba's rooms in the Governor's palace, Peru, mid-16th century

Synopsis: Alzira is sleeping, confined to her rooms in Gusmano's palace with her servants, when she awakes wondering where her love Zamoro is. She believes that he was just here, but then she realizes that it was but a dream. Her servant women tell her that she should forget her dream but she believes that he is in some sort of afterlife above where she will soon join him.

from Act I, Scene 1 of the Italian opera Alzira by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano

Role: Gusmano, Governor of Peru

Voice Part: baritone       Fach: dramatic baritone

Setting: The main square of Lima, Peru, mid-16th century

Synopsis: After ordering Ataliba, a tribal head and his prisoner, to offer up his allegiance to Spain, Gusmano also implies that it might be nice if he could have Alzira, Ataliba's daughter. After Ataliba warns him that it may not be the best idea because Alzira loves another, Gusman sings of how he is able to conquer entire nations, but he cannot claim victory over one woman's love.

from Act I, Scene 1 of the Italian opera Alzira by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano

Role: Gusmano, Governor of Peru

Voice Part: baritone       Fach: dramatic baritone

Setting: The main square of Lima, Peru, mid-16th century

Synopsis: After ordering Ataliba, a tribal head and his prisoner, to offer up his allegiance to Spain, Gusmano also implies that it might be nice if he could have Alzira, Ataliba's daughter. Ataliba tells him that it might not be a good idea because Alzira loves another, but Gusmano does not care. He orders Ataliba to make her love him and then sings that if he cannot have Alzira, his great success in war will have no value in his life.

from Act II, Scene 2 of the Italian opera Alzira by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano

Role: Zamoro, the head of a Peruvian tribe

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: spinto

Setting: A cave, Peru, mid-16th century

Synopsis: Zamoro has escaped from the Spanish for a second time. While he was being held by the Spaniards, he came face to face with his love and his bride-to-be Alzira. Now that he has escaped, though, he cannot bear the idea of life without her. He has been able to face death down with no fear, but life without Alzira is much worse than death.

from Act II, Scene 2 of the Italian opera Alzira by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano

Role: Zamoro, the head of a Peruvian tribe

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: spinto

Setting: A cave, Peru, mid-16th century

Synopsis: Zamoro has escaped from the Spanish for a second time. While he was being held by the Spaniards, he came face to face with his love and his bride-to-be Alzira. He is told by his fellow Inca Otumbo that she has given herself to Gusmano, the Governor of Peru. Furious, Zamoro declares that he will set out immediately to Lima and avenge this insult against him. It is no longer time to weep, but, rather, time to fight.

from Prologue of the Italian opera Alzira by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano

Role: Zamoro, the head of a Peruvian tribe

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: spinto

Setting: A vast plain, Peru, mid-16th century

Synopsis: Zamoro has returned from being captured by the Governor of Peru, Gusmano, and his troops. His tribesmen are surprised to see him alive, thinking that he had been killed by Gusmano's torture. After he rails against the injustice that Gusmano has caused him and his people, his tribesmen tell him that Alzira and her father Ataliba, another tribal head, have been taken prisoner by Gusmano. Zamoro resolves to save them from the governor's cruel hands. He then launches in this cabaletta, describing the rebellious air that has been pervading his people.

from Prologue of the Italian opera Alzira by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano

Role: Zamoro, the head of a Peruvian tribe

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: spinto

Setting: A vast plain, Peru, mid-16th century

Synopsis: Zamoro has returned from being captured by the Governor of Peru, Gusmano, and his troops. His tribesmen are surprised to see him alive, thinking that he had been killed by Gusmano's torture. After commanding the release of a prisoner, he sings a hateful tirade against Gusmano and his tyranny.