La favorita

While not completly stage-bound, this film of Donizetti's opera doesn't stray far from such an impression. The story of a tragic love affair involving commoners and royality in 1340 Spain finds Ferdinand (Gino Sininberghi) falling in love with a young lady (role played by Sophia Loren, billed as Sophia Lazzaro, while Palmira Vitali does the singing), who is a favorite of the King (Paolo Silveri.) Ferdinand returns from the wars as a hero and the King grants him anything he wishes and he chooses his mysterious lady. But when he learns of her true position, he forsakes her.