Stride la Vampa
“Stride la vampa” is the aria of Arzucena, the female protagonist of Verdi’s opera “Il Trovatore”, written in 1853.
The Troubadour, together with the Traviata and the Rigoletto is part of the popular Verdi trilogy.
The “prima” of this truly exciting opera took place on January 19, 1853 at the Apollo Theater in Rome.
This mezzo-soprano aria is performed in scene I of the second act, immediately after the gypsy choir “Vedi le fosche notturne spoglie”.
The gypsy Arzucena, mother of the Trovatore alias Marnico, tells, with her main aria “Stride la Vampa” (screeches the flame), of when, as a child, she saw her mother die at the stake accused of witchcraft.
With this song, in the Opera, it is revealed to the public that Marnico, il Trovatore, is not the natural son of Arzucena, but is the son of the Count of Luna and brother of the new regent Count.
At the end of the work, the beautiful gypsy Arzucena is killed by the Count who had killed Marnico shortly before. At the point of death Arzucena reveals to the Count that Marnico, the troubadour, was his brother.
The plot of the Trovatore is not at all easy to follow but it is truly a work full of twists and extraordinary music.
Video: Stride la Vampa
Un abbraccio/ a big Hug
Marcus Dardi