ACT I

Seville, mid-eighteenth century. After the Marquis of Calatrava bids good night to his daughter, Leonora di Vargas, she tells her maid, Curra, about her imminent elopement with her lover, Don Alvaro. Hesitant to leave her father, Leonora is nevertheless torn by her love for Alvaro, an Inca of royal descent. Climbing in via the balcony, Alvaro reassures her, then accuses her of not loving him. She agrees to leave, but her father, awakened by noise in the courtyard, storms in with sword drawn, challenging Alvaro, who throws his pistol to the floor. It goes off by accident, fatally wounding the Marquis, who dies cursing his daughter. The lovers flee.  

ACT II

An inn at Hornachuelos. Amid peasants and mule drivers, Don Carlo di Vargas, Leonora’s brother, posing as “Pereda,” a student from Salamanca, hunts for his sister and her lover to avenge the Marquis’ death. Leonora, disguised as a man, comes to the door and recognizes her brother. Separated from Alvaro during their flight, she is traveling with a muleteer, Trabuco, who endures jibes as to the identity and sex of the “little person” with him. Preziosilla, a Gypsy girl, offers to tell fortunes and inspire morale for the upcoming battles of Italy and Spain against the Germans. She tells Carlo he is no student, while Leonora wonders how she can escape from her vengeful brother. Pilgrims en route to Holy Week celebrations arrive, and everyone joins in prayer. At the urging of the Alcalde (local mayor), Carlo tells the gathering he is a student, mentioning his friend “Vargas,” who is bent on avenging the death of his father at the hands of his sister’s lover. Outside the church and monastery of the Madonna degli Angeli, Leonora, still in male clothes, prays for the Virgin’s forgiveness. Evening prayers are heard from within. She sounds the monastery bell and is greeted gruffly by Brother Melitone, who tries to send her away till next morning. She says she has been sent by Father Cleto to see the Padre Guardiano (Father Superior). When he appears, she tells him she is Leonora di Vargas, about whom Father Cleto has written. She asks to become a hermit and live in a cave, devoting herself only to God. When he learns her brother is bent on killing her, the Padre Guardiano agrees.  

ACT III

Near a battlefield in Velletri, Italy, soldiers are gambling. Alvaro, now in the military, laments his outcast state, praying to Leonora — whom he believes dead — to pity him. Hearing the cries of another officer, he goes to the rescue and returns with Carlo. Neither man is aware of the other’s identity, and both are using assumed names. Carlo thanks Alvaro for saving his life from soldiers who were quarreling over cards. They swear friendship in life and death, then run off to battle. The wounded Alvaro, borne in on a stretcher, asks Carlo to burn his private papers when he dies. Carlo agrees, but when his friend is removed for surgery, he muses on the possibility that Alvaro might be the “cursed Indian” who killed his father and dishonored his sister. Looking among Alvaro’s belongings, he finds a portrait of Leonora. As word comes that Alvaro’s life has been saved by surgery, Carlo exults that his enemy will live — to suffer his personal revenge. Some time later, Alvaro encounters Carlo, who announces he has found out who he is and wants to fight. Alvaro tries to pacify him, saying that Leonora, if still alive, as Carlo says, should be the object of their joint search. Carlo bullies him into a rage, and they fight, but a patrol separates them. Alvaro, repenting of his anger, resolves to enter a monastery. As the sun rises, soldiers and civilians crowd the scene, led by Preziosilla, telling fortunes, and Trabuco, peddling cheap merchandise. Melitone stumbles upon the motley gathering of people and lectures them on their ungodly ways. Finally, Preziosilla, wearing a drum around her neck, leads an unaccompanied marching chorus in imitation of a military drummer’s sound.  

ACT IV

Five years later. Inside the monastery, back on Spanish soil, beggars wait for Melitone to dole out soup while the Padre Guardiano cautions him against being impatient with the poor, who are dear to God. The gate bell rings, announcing Carlo, who demands to see “Father Rafaello,” Alvaro’s assumed name. As he waits, he vows to kill his enemy. Alvaro pleads for peace between them, but again Carlo goads him, and they rush off to find a dueling place. Leonora emerges from her cave, disheveled and distressed, to pray for the peace that continues to elude her: in her heart she still loves Alvaro. Hearing a commotion nearby, she retreats into the cave, only to be summoned forth by Alvaro himself: having mortally wounded Carlo, he asks the hermit to give absolution to the dying man. They recognize each other, and Alvaro cries that once again he has the blood of her family on his hands. Leonora goes to Carlo, who with his last strength deals her a mortal blow. The Padre Guardiano enters and silences Alvaro’s frustrated rage as Leonora gasps that she will await him in heaven. -- courtesy of Opera News

Place: Spain and Italy
Time: around 1750

Overture
The music begins with the opera's "Fate" motif, an ominous three Es unison in the brass.

Act 1

The mansion of Leonora's family, in Seville

Don Alvaro is a young nobleman from South America (presumably Peru) who is part Indian and who has settled in Seville where he is not very well thought of. He falls in love with Donna Leonora, the daughter of the Marquis of Calatrava, but Calatrava is determined that she shall marry only a man of the highest birth. Despite knowing her father’s aversion to Alvaro, Leonora is deeply in love with him, and she determines to give up her home and country in order to elope with him. In this endeavor, she is aided by her confidante, Curra. (Me pellegrina ed orfana – "Exiled and orphaned far from my childhood home").

When Alvaro arrives to fetch Leonora, she hesitates: she wants to elope with him, but part of her wants to stay with her father; she eventually pulls herself together, ready for their elopement. However, the Marquis unexpectedly enters and discovers Leonora and Alvaro together. He threatens Alvaro with death, and in order to remove any suspicion as to Leonora’s purity, Alvaro surrenders himself. As he flings down his pistol, it goes off, mortally wounding the Marquis, who dies cursing his daughter.

Act 2

Scene 1: An inn in the village of Hornachuelos

About a year has passed since the death of the Marquis of Calatrava. While fleeing the scene, Leonora and Alvaro became separated, and neither has made any concerted effort to find the other.

In this scene, the Alcalde, several peasant muleteers, Don Carlo of Vargas (the brother of Donna Leonora), and many others are gathered in the kitchen of the inn as dinner is served. Don Carlo, disguised as a student from Salamanca and using the fictitious name Pereda, is now seeking revenge against Alvaro and Leonora for dishonoring the family name. (Son Pereda son ricco d'onore – "I am Pereda, of honorable descent"). During the supper, Preziosilla, a popular young gypsy girl, arrives, and she tells the young men’s fortunes and exhorts them to enlist in the war (Al suon del tamburo – "When side drums rattle") for Italy’s freedom, which all agree to do. Leonora arrives in male attire, on her way to a nearby monastery, but luckily she slips away without being discovered by Carlo.

Scene 2: A monastery nearby

Leonora has come to take refuge in the monastery to live out her remaining days secluded from the rest of mankind. (Son giunta! ... Madre, pietosa Vergine – "I've got here! Oh, thank God!") After a somewhat surly reception by Fra Melitone, she tells the abbot, Padre Guardiano, her true name and her wish to spend the remainder of her life in the monastery's hermitage. The abbot recounts the trials she will have to undergo. Leonora, Padre Guardiano, Fra Melitone, and the other monks join in prayer as she is accepted in the hermitage.

Act 3

Scene 1: A forest near Velletri, in Italy

Meanwhile Don Alvaro has joined the Spanish army under the name of Don Federico Herreros (La vita è inferno all'infelice ... O tu che in seno agli angeli – "Life is a hell to those who are unhappy....Oh, my beloved, risen among the angels"). One night he saves the life of Don Carlo who is serving in the same army under the name of Don Felix Bornos. They become close friends and go side by side into the Battle of Velletri, an historical event which occurred in 1744.

Scene 2: The officers' quarters

In one of these engagements Don Alvaro returns, believing himself to be mortally wounded. He entrusts to Don Carlo’s care a valise containing a bundle of letters which he orders his friend to destroy as soon as Don Alvaro dies: (Solenne in quest'ora – "Swear to me, in this solemn hour"). Don Carlo has sworn not to look at the contents of the letters; but he becomes suspicious of his friend. (Morir! Tremenda cosa! ... Urna fatale del mio destino – "To die! What an awesome thought...Get away, fatal lot sent to my Destiny!"). He opens the valise, finds his sister’s picture, and realizes Alvaro's true identity. At that moment a surgeon brings word that Don Alvaro may recover. Don Carlo is overjoyed at the idea of avenging his father’s death.

Scene 3: A camp near the battleground

Having recovered, Alvaro is confronted by Carlo. They begin to duel, but are pulled away from each other by the soldiers. As they restrain Carlo, the anguished Don Alvaro vows to enter a monastery.

The soldiers gather. Trabucco, the peddler, tries to sell them his wares; Fra Melitone chastises them for their godless ways; and Preziosilla leads them in a chorus in praise of the military life (Rataplan, rataplan, della gloria – "Rum-tum-tum on the drum is the music that makes a soldier's martial spirit rise").

Act 4

Scene 1: The monastery

Impoverished peasants from the region approach Fra Melitone at the monastery at Hornachuelos for food and Padre Guardiano gently scolds Melitone for his less than charitable behavior towards them. Don Carlo then approaches, having learned of the presence of Don Alvaro there. Under the name of Father Raphael, Alvaro has indeed entered the monastery, near which is Leonora’s cave. Don Carlo forces him into a fight (Le minacce, i fieri accenti – "May the winds carry off with them").

Scene 2: A desolate spot near Leonora's hermitage

Leonora prays that she may find peace in death (Pace, pace mio Dio! – "Peace, O mighty Father, give me peace!"). Alvaro runs in, calling for help, having mortally wounded Carlo in their duel. The two lovers recognize each other. Leonora seeks her brother and, as she bends over him, he stabs her in the heart. The dying Leonora returns, supported by Padre Guardiano; he and Alvaro pray to heaven as she dies.