Simon Boccanegra OPERA @ A GLANCE
L A N G U AG E
Italian with English subtitles
F I R ST P E R F O R M E D
March 12, 1857 (first version)
March 24, 1881 (second version)
THEMES
L I B R E T TO
Francesco Maria Piave (first version)
Arrigo Boito (second version)
Political upheaval, peace and patriotism, familial love, belonging C H A R AC T E R S
Simon Boccanegra (baritone), former Corsair turned Doge of Genoa. (A corsair is a private citizen that engages in maritime warfare under commission from a sovereign authority.)
COMPOSER
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was born on October 10, 1813 in Le Roncole, modern day Italy. His love and talent for music were apparent at an early age and his musical training began at a local church, where by the age of nine he was the full time organist. In 1823, he moved with his family to the larger city of Busseto where he became heavily involved in the musical life of the city as a student, performer, and budding composer. In his lifetime, Verdi went on to have a prolific and successful career, composing over 25 operas including some of the most highly regarded such as Aida, La traviata, Rigoletto and Otello. He not only held a prominent reputation in the operatic theater world, but in Italy’s political movements that sought to unify the country.
Jacopo Fiesco/Andrea Grimaldi (bass), a Genoese patrician, turned political exile living under the pseudonym of Andrea Grimaldi
SET TING
Genoa, Italy mid 14th century
Maria Boccanegra/Amelia Grimaldi (soprano), adopted daughter and actual granddaughter of Fiesco, and daughter of Simon Boccanegra Gabriele Adorno (tenor), a patrician and love interest of Amelia Paolo Albiani (baritone), leader of the plebian party and ally to Boccanegra Pietro (bass), Boccanegra’s advisor
LENGTH
3 ACTS
SY N O PS I S In the prologue, Paolo Albiani, a leader of the plebians, conspires to nominate Simon Boccanegra, a respected corsair, to the leadership position of the Doge of Genoa. Boccanegra considers the role because he believes it will elevate his position enough to marry Maria, his lover and the daughter of the wealthy patrician Jacopo Fiesco. But Fiesco is enraged by their relationship and has kept Maria prisoner because she gave birth to their illegitimate daughter. As the prologue ends, Maria has died, and their daughter has gone missing. A jubilant crowd gathers around Boccanegra to proclaim him the Doge. In Act 1, twenty-five years have passed and as Doge, Boccanegra has exiled many political enemies and confiscated their property. Fiesco, now exiled, is residing outside of Genoa under the alias of Andrea Grimaldi with his adopted orphaned daughter named Amelia. Fiesco, along with Amelia’s patrician lover Gabriele Adorno, are a part of the resistance movement to oust Boccanegra from power. What follows is a story of love lost and found, masked identities, political intrigue, and murder.