Giuseppe Verdi's 1847 I Masnadieri (The Bandits) is a tragedy-laden tale of deceit, love, envy, and relationships between father, son and brothers. Carlo, the elder, beloved son of Count Massimiliano Moor, has fallen prey to a life of crime. He attempts to renounce his ways until fate intervenes by way of Francesco, Carlo's younger brother, whose plot to deprive Carlo of his inheritance places a wedge between Carlo and his father, effectively dashing any hope of Carlo leaving his past behind. Carlo's sweetheart Amalia awaits Carlo even after learning that he is irredeemable, but her steadfast loyalty meets a tragic end when she is finally reunited with him. Although it is a rarely performed opera, it is one of resonant dramatic capacity and bears the clear marks of Verdi's compositional mastery.
