Manrico and Leonora by Nemorino
Just as they are about to get married, Manrico learns that Azucena is a prisoner in Count Luna's castle. Only now does Leonora realize that the gypsy woman is Manrico's mother. He again rallies his troops and storms off to save her, leaving Leonora behind. As he leaves he sings his famous and stirring stretta which most tenors try to finish off with a high C, if they can do it. It isn't actually in the score, but legend has it that one of the first Manricos got so carried away by the music that he inserted the high C by mistake, and Verdi allowed it to stay.
