Attila is a 1846 opera by Giuseppe Verdi to a libretto by Temistocle Solera, based on a play by Zacharias Werner.
It's the 5th century AD, and the Huns, led by Attila, have just plundered the town of Aquileia. Among the prisoners, there is the beautiful Action Girl Odabella, who impresses Attila with her courage – so much that he gives her his own sword. She plans to kill him in revenge for him killing her father, and revels in the poetic justice of using Attila's own weapon for that.
The Roman general Ezio arrives and initially tries to negotiate with Attila, admitting that the current Roman emperors are unfit to rule and he's willing to surrender the world to the Huns, if he would only have Italy. Attila refuses the deal, and Ezio says that in this case, he'll fight him to the last.
Far away, a remote monastery welcomes refugees from Aquileia, led by Foresto, Odabella's fiance. He inspires the refugees to build a new city on the site – the city that will later become Venice; while he himself goes back to look for Odabella. As they are reunited, she tells him of her future revenge.
Meanwhile, Attila's plan to take Rome is foiled when at the gates he is met by Pope Leo, whom Attila recognizes as an old man from the nightmare he had the night before.
Foresto joins forces with Ezio and conspires with one of the Huns' slaves to have Attila poisoned. Odabella reveals their plan, unwilling to have her revenge taken away from her, and to reward her, Attila promises to make her his wife. On the wedding day, Ezio leads the Roman army to ambush the Huns. Discovering Odabella with Foresto, Attila realizes he has been betrayed, and Odabella stabs him with his own sword.
The opera contains examples of:
- Amazon Brigade: Odabella is captured along with an entire group of female warriors. Because of their bravery and fighting skills, they are brought to Attila personally.
- Amazon Chaser: Attila is impressed by Odabella's courage and fighting skills.
- Badass Boast: Since most of the characters are seasoned warriors, it's inevitable.
- The Huns' chorus in the beginning and Attila's first lines as they sing of how great all of them, especially Attila, are at conquering.
- Odabella's cavatina about how you'd always see Italian women fighting – nothing like the Hun girls who Stay in the Kitchen.
- Ezio's duet with Attila, basically the two men trying to out-Badass Boast each other.
- Betty and Veronica: The sweet, loving and a bit weak-willed Foresto and the violent and passionate Attila for Odabella.
- Et Tu, Brute?: "You too, pure Odabella?"
- Even Evil Has Standards: Attila can't stand cowardice and is disgusted when Ezio is ready to betray his emperor.
- Foe Romance Subtext: Some productions imply Odabella starts to reciprocate Attila's feelings. In the Mariinsky Theatre staging, for example, right after killing him, she falls down and bursts into tears over his body
. - Good Hurts Evil: Pope Leo and the choir do almost nothing except stand calmly in front of the Huns and sing a hymn to God. Attila backs away, horrified.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Foresto is terribly suspicious that Odabella’s relationship with Attila is more than pretense on her part. In some stagings, these suspicions turn out to be correct.
- Jealous Romantic Witness: Foresto goes crazy with jealousy when has to watch his fiancee Odabella contentedly accepting Attila's attentions and later his offer of marriage. According to the libretto, Odabella is faking her affection for Attila to get an opportunity to kill him (and Foresto knows it), however, some productions play up the drama by showing Odabella Becoming the Mask.
- Skewed Priorities: Foresto is in the enemies’ camp, preparing to kill The Dreaded Hun king and fight his army, he needs to lie low before the time to strike comes – and he decides it’s just the moment to start a jealous quarrel with Odabella. Ezio calls the couple out for it just in time, as Attila appears mere seconds later.
- Song of Prayer: The choir of maidens and children accompanying Pope Leo the Great sing a hymn "Vieni, le menti visita", praying to God to spread peace and instill love in people's hearts, as they go to the Huns' camp in the hopes of stopping Attila from raiding Rome. Attila backs away in fear just from hearing their singing.
- Villainous Crush: Attila is very taken with Odabella from the moment she sings her cavatina. Some productions hint she reciprocates.
- We Can Rule Together: Ezio offers to join forces with Attila and help him conquer the world, if the latter would only let Ezio have Italy.
- Worthy Opponent: Attila and Ezio recognize each other as brave and capable leaders and respect each other greatly.
