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

Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano

Role: Count Walter, father of Rodolfo

Voice Part: bass       Fach: lyric bass

Setting: a hall in the castle of Count Walter in the Tyrol, early 17th century

Synopsis: Count Walter has found out that his son Rodolfo has fallen in love with a peasant girl (Luisa). This discovery comes at a particularly bad time, as the Count has invited the Duchess of Ostheim to his castle in the hopes that the two will fall in love. He sings that, although he has had good luck in all else, the only thing he cares about, his son, is not following the plan he has chosen for him. He hopes his son never guesses how far he has gone to make him happy.

from Act II, Scene 1 of the Italian opera Luisa Miller by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano

Role: Luisa Miller, a peasant girl

Voice Part: soprano       Fach: dramatic coloratura

Setting: a room in Miller's cottage, the Tyrol, early 17th century

Synopsis: After Wurm has made her sign a letter saying that she never loved Rodolfo and loved Wurm himself in order to save her father, Luisa sings furiously against the injustice of Wurm. Afterwards, she thinks of what joy she will have when her father returns.

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

Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano

Role: Luisa Miller, a peasant girl

Voice Part: soprano       Fach: dramatic coloratura

Setting: a happy village in the Tyrol, early 17th century

Synopsis: Luisa has a secret romance with a man named Carlo that only her father knows about. She sings to him of how she loved him the first time she saw him.

from Act II, Scene 1 of the Italian opera Luisa Miller by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano

Role: Luisa Miller, a peasant girl

Voice Part: soprano       Fach: dramatic coloratura

Setting: a room in Miller's cottage, the Tyrol, early 17th century

Synopsis: Luisa's father has been taken to jail and is threatened with execution because Luisa and Rodolfo, the Count's son, are in love. Wurm, the Count's secretary, tells Luisa the only way to save her father is to write a letter saying that she loves Wurm and that she never loved Rodolfo. She writes it and then sings that, if she does wrong in writing this letter, she wishes God to punish her instead of Wurm and the Count.

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

Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano

Role: Miller, Luisa's father and a retired soldier

Voice Part: baritone       Fach: dramatic baritone

Setting: a happy village in the Tyrol, early 17th century

Synopsis: Wurm, Count Walter's secretary, has come to Miller to ask for his daugther's hand in marriage. Miller knows that Luisa is in love with Carlo though and tells Wurm that he cannot force her to marry anyone as long as she is in love with Carlo. Wurm tells him that Carlo is actually Rodolfo, Walter's son, and leaves. Shocked, Miller comments on how his own suspicions have come true.

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

Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano

Role: Miller, Luisa's father and a retired soldier

Voice Part: baritone       Fach: dramatic baritone

Setting: a happy village in the Tyrol, early 17th century

Synopsis: Wurm, the Count's secretary, has come to Miller to ask for his daugther's hand in marriage. Miller knows that Luisa is in love with Carlo though and tells Wurm that he cannot force her to marry anyone as long as she is in love with Carlo.

from Act II, Scene 3 of the Italian opera Luisa Miller by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano

Role: Rodolfo, Count Walter's son

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: dramatic tenor

Setting: the gardens in the castle of Count Walter, the Tyrol, early 17th century

Synopsis: Rodolfo has received a letter from Luisa saying that she never loved him. He is crushed and when he goes to his father with the story, he says that he should get his revenge by marrying the Duchess of Ostheim. Hearing this, Rodolfo loses all hope and sings that he cannot have happiness in life or death.

from Act II, Scene 3 of the Italian opera Luisa Miller by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano

Role: Rodolfo, Count Walter's son

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: dramatic tenor

Setting: the gardens in the castle of Count Walter, the Tyrol, early 17th century

Synopsis: Rodolfo has received a letter from Luisa saying that she never loved him. He is crushed and reminisces about the happy times they had together.