Simon Boccanegra is an opera with a prologue and three acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on the play Simón Bocanegra by Antonio García Gutiérrez. Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto A libretto is the text used in an extended Musical work such as an Opera, Operetta, Masque, sacred or secular Oratorio and Francesco Maria Piave ( 18 May 1810 &ndash 5 March 1876) was an Italian librettist who was Verdi 's life-long A play, or stageplay, is a form of Literature written by a Playwright, almost always consisting of Dialogue between Fictional characters Antonio García Gutiérrez ( July 5 1812, Chiclana de la Frontera, Cádiz &mdash August 6 1884, Madrid) was a It was first performed at Teatro La Fenice, Venice on March 12, 1857. Teatro La Fenice ("The Phoenix " is an Opera house in Venice, Italy. Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving Click here for Indian Rebellion of 1857 Year 1857 ( MDCCCLVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the The revised version, with text changes by Arrigo Boito, was first performed at La Scala, Milan on March 24, 1881. Arrigo Boito ( February 24, 1842 &ndash June 10, 1918) aka Enrico Giuseppe Giovanni Boito Pseudonym Tobia Gorrio was an Italian The Teatro alla Scala (or La Scala, as it is known in Milan, Italy, is one of the world's most famous Opera houses The theatre was Milan (Milano Milan (listen) is one of the largest cities in Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy. Events 1401 - Mongol emperor Timur sacks Damascus. 1603 - James VI of Scotland Year 1881 ( MDCCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

Simon Boccanegra is part of the standard operatic repertoire and there are many recordings of it.

Roles

Synopsis

Time: The middle of the 14th century. Franco Faccio ( March 8, 1840 &ndash July 21, 1891) was an Italian Composer and conductor. This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. Leone Giraldoni (born circa 1824 Paris; died September 19 1897 Moscow) was a celebrated Italian Operatic Baritone. Victor Maurel ( June 17, 1848 in Marseilles - October 22, 1923 in New York City) was a French Baritone. This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. Edouard de Reszke, born as Edward, ( 22 December 1853 - 25 May 1917) was a Polish Operatic bass born in The tenor is the highest male voice within the Modal register, just above the Baritone voice Francesco Tamagno ( 28 December 1850 &ndash 31 August 1905) was an Italian Operatic singer This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type.

Place: In and around Genoa.

Prologue

Paolo persuades Pietro to support the nomination of Simon Boccanegra for doge of Genoa. Boccanegra arrives and agrees to stand, thinking that Fiesco would then allow him to wed his daughter, who is being held prisoner in her father's gloomy palace just to prevent such a union and by whom Simon has already a daughter, Maria. Pietro rallies support for Boccanegra. Fiesco enters, stricken with grief over his daughter's death ("Il lacerato spirito"). He does not tell Boccanegra. Boccanegra accosts Fiesco and begs forgiveness. Fiesco promises clemency only if Boccanegra lets Fiesco have his granddaughter. Boccanegra explains he cannot for the child has vanished. Boccanegra finds his beloved's body as the people hail Boccanegra as the new doge.

Act 1

Scene 1: Twenty-five years later

The doge has exiled many of his political opponents and confiscated their property. In the Grimaldi castle, Fiesco, to avoid discovery, is using the name Andrea Grimaldi, plotting with Boccanegra's enemies to overthrow him. Unknowingly, years earlier, the Grimaldis had adopted Boccanegra's child and Fiesco's granddaughter after discovering the orphan in a convent. They called her Amelia, hoping that she would be the heir to their family's fortune, their sons having been exiled. Amelia awaits her lover, Gabriele Adorno (Aria:"Come in quest'ora bruna"). He arrives, and she warns him of the dangers of political conspiracy. Word arrives that the doge is coming. Amelia, fearing that a forced marriage to Paolo is to be arranged, urges Adorno to ask her father for permission to marry. Fiesco agrees and reveals that Amelia is actually a penniless foundling. When Adorno says that he does not care, Fiesco blesses the marriage. Boccanegra enters. He pardons Amelia's exiled brothers, but she refuses to marry Paolo. When she tells Boccanegra that she was adopted, he realizes that she is his long-lost daughter. Finally reunited, they are overcome with joy. When Paolo enters, Boccanegra denies permission for the arranged marriage. Furious, Paolo decides to kidnap Amelia.

Scene 2: The senate is in session

The doge is interrupted by the sounds of a mob demanding Boccanegra's head. He orders the doors opened, and the crowd bursts in, chasing Adorno. Adorno confesses to killing Lorenzino for the attempted kidnapping of Amelia, ordered by an unknown high ranking official. Adorno guesses it is must be Boccanegra and is about to attack him when Amelia rushes in and stops the fight (Aria: "Nell'ora soave"). Boccanegra has Adorno arrested for the night (Aria: "Plebe! Patrizi! Popolo!"). Discerning that Paolo is the actual man responsible, he makes everyone, including Paolo, utter a curse on the real kidnapper.

Act 2

Paolo and Fiesco discuss plans to murder Boccanegra, but Fiesco refuses. Paolo next tells Adorno that Amelia is the doge's mistress, hoping Adorno will murder Boccanegra. Just before Amelia enters, Adorno's anger and jealousy prompts an angry outburst (Aria: "Sento avvampar nell'anima"). Amelia enters, and Adorno accuses her of infidelity. She claims only to love Adorno, but does not explain that Boccanegra is her father for Adorno's family was killed by the doge. Adorno hides as Boccanegra enters. Amelia vows to Boccanegra that she would die for Adorno. Boccanegra agrees to pardon him. He drinks from a poisoned glass of wine and falls asleep. Adorno tries to kill him, but Amelia stops him. Boccanegra wakes and reveals that Amelia is his daughter. Adorno begs for forgiveness (Aria: "Perdon, Amelia. . . Indomito") and promises to fight for the doge.

Act 3

Paolo is condemned to death for leading the uprising against the doge. Fiesco is released from prison. Paolo tells Fiesco that he has poisoned Boccanegra. Fiesco confronts Boccanegra, who is now dying. Boccanegra recognizes his old enemy, but is happy to tell him that Amelia is his granddaughter. Fiesco feels great remorse and tells Boccanegra about the poison. Adorno and Amelia, newly married, find her father and grandfather have reconciled. Boccanegra asks that Adorno be named his successor, and after the doge dies, Fiesco proclaims it so.

Selected recordings

Notes

1. ^ List of singers taken from Budden, Julian: The Operas of Verdi (Cassell), vol 2, p. Tito Gobbi ( October 24, 1913 &ndash March 5, 1984) was an Italian Baritone. Victoria de los Ángeles (in Catalan Victòria dels Àngels ( November 1, 1923 &ndash January 15 Giuseppe Campora ( 30 September, 1923 - 5 December, 2004) was an Italian Operatic Tenor. Boris Christoff ( Bulgarian: bg Борис Христов ( May 18, 1914, Plovdiv, Bulgaria &ndash June 28, 1993 The Teatro dell'Opera di Roma ( Rome Opera House) is an Opera house in Rome, Italy. The EMI Group is a British music company comprising the major record company EMI Music – which operates several labels and is based in Kensington in Piero Cappuccilli ( November 9, 1929 - July 12, 2005) was an Italian operatic Baritone Katia Ricciarelli (born January 16, 1946) is an Italian Soprano. WikipediaWikiProject Opera#Infoboxes --> José Plácido Domingo Embil KBE (born January 21, 1941) better Ruggero Raimondi (born 3 October 1941) is an Italian Bass-baritone opera singer and sometime screen actor Gianandrea Gavazzeni (25 July 1909 - 5 February 1996 was an Italian Pianist, conductor (especially of Opera) Composer and musicologist RCA Corporation, founded as Radio Corporation of America, was an electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986 Vladimir Chernov (born September 22, 1953) is a Russian Baritone, particularly associated with the Russian and Italian Opera repertories Dame Kiri Janette Te Kanawa, ONZ, DBE, AC (ˈkiri ˈtɛ ˈkɑːnəwə born WikipediaWikiProject Opera#Infoboxes --> José Plácido Domingo Embil KBE (born January 21, 1941) better Robert Lloyd may refer to Robert Lloyd (poet (1733-1764 British poet Robert Lloyd (bass (born 1940 British opera singer (bass James Lawrence Levine (born 23 June 1943) is an American orchestral conductor and pianist. The Metropolitan Opera Association of New York City, founded in April 1880 is a major presenter of all types of opera including Grand Opera. Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical Record label. The company has long been known for its high standards of audio fidelity. 244.
2. ^ Ibid
3. ^ Ibid, p. 267

External links

• Libretto
• “Simon Boccanegra” synopsis from Metropolitan Opera. The Metropolitan Opera Association of New York City, founded in April 1880 is a major presenter of all types of opera including Grand Opera.
• Arias and roles of “Simon Boccanegra” from aria-database.com