This virtuoso fantasy translates Verdi's iconic opera themes into a brilliant pianistic display. It is distinguished by its dramatic bravura passages and operatic bel canto style.
At Henle 6 this is an advanced piece that assumes fluent technique and rewards mature interpretation. The main demands: sweeping arpeggio figures that must stay smooth across positions; octave passages that demand a relaxed wrist to avoid tension; and careful pedaling — clarity depends on the foot as much as the fingers.
Beyond that, expect wide stretches that reward larger hands and clever redistribution.
At roughly 8 minutes, stamina and memory become part of the challenge — plan practice in sections.
Mastering the wide-spanned arpeggios and maintaining intensity in octave runs requires advanced technique.
Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.
A level or two down with the same spirit — ideal if this piece is still out of reach.
Where this piece's skills lead: slightly harder works making similar technical demands.
Divertimento on Motifs from 'Il Trovatore' (Op.62) is rated Henle level 6 of 9 — advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 7–8. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 9.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 6 — meaning you can already play level 5–6 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.
A typical performance of Divertimento on Motifs from 'Il Trovatore' (Op.62) lasts about 8 minutes.
Divertimento on Motifs from 'Il Trovatore' (Op.62) is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.
Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Dance of the Demon by Eduard Holst, Boabdil by Moritz Moszkowski, Divertissement sur Maria di Rohan by Édouard Wolff — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.