vi ol ins ▁I , ▁viol ins ▁II , ▁viol as , ▁viol on cell os , ▁double ▁bass es ). ▁ ▁Syn opsis ▁The ▁opera ▁is ▁set ▁in ▁ 1 6 th - century ▁Gen oa ▁ ▁Act ▁ 1 ▁The ▁young ▁Gen o an ▁no blem an ▁Al v iano ▁Salv ago , ▁h unch back ed ▁and ▁de formed , ▁does ▁not ▁dare ▁dream ▁of ▁the ▁love ▁of ▁women . ▁He ▁wants ▁to ▁don ate ▁to ▁the ▁people ▁of ▁Gen oa ▁the ▁island ▁parad ise ▁called ▁" E ly si um " ▁he ▁has ▁created . ▁His ▁friends , ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁dis solute ▁young ▁no blem en , ▁have ▁been ▁using ▁an ▁under ground ▁gro tto ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁for ▁org ies ▁with ▁young ▁women ▁ab duct ed ▁from ▁prominent ▁Gen o an ▁families , ▁and ▁interven e ▁with ▁Duke ▁Ad orno ▁to ▁stop ▁the ▁transfer ▁of ▁ownership . ▁One ▁of ▁them , ▁Count ▁Tam are , ▁has ▁set ▁his ▁s ights ▁on ▁Car lot ta , ▁daughter ▁of ▁the ▁Pod est à . ▁Car lot ta ▁reject s ▁him , ▁as ▁she ▁is ▁only ▁interested ▁in ▁Salv ago , ▁whose ▁soul ▁she ▁wants ▁to ▁paint . ▁ ▁Act ▁ 2 ▁Inf uri ated ▁by ▁Car lot ta ' s ▁re jection , ▁Tam are ▁swe ars ▁to ▁Ad orno ▁that ▁he ▁will ▁take ▁her ▁by ▁force . ▁He ▁also ▁reve als ▁the ▁secret ▁of ▁the ▁gro tto ▁to ▁Ad orno . ▁Not ▁wanting ▁Salv ago ▁to ▁become ▁more