The West Australian Opera’s production of Verdi’s Il trovatore is a revival of the late Elke Neidhardt’s 2007 version, set during the time of the Spanish Civil War.

Its themes range over obsession, guilt, vengeance and doomed love affairs, as the Count di Luna and Manrico, a troubadour gypsy (but really his missing brother), fight for the love of Leonora. This love takes precedence over duty to civic conflicts – which makes you suspect Verdi was a fan of Shakespeare.

West Australian Opera’s Il trovatore. Photo © West Beach Studio

Think of the similar situations in Antony and Cleopatra, Othello, Romeo and Juliet – and in Hamlet, where both Hamlet and Manrico have mother issues. For goodness’ sake, Hamlet is supposed to be avenging his father’s murder, and Antony is at war, as are Manrico and the Count. Infirm of purpose indeed!

It’s no wonder they miss the significance of events that happened decades ago, which are going to reappear to bite them: the loss of the Count’s brother, the appearance of Azucena (Manrico’s adoptive mother) seeking vengeance for her mother’s death, and her own unspeakable actions.

You hardly see much in the...