Simon Boccanegra
Encyclopedia
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 (1843) by Antonio García Gutiérrez
.
It was first performed at Teatro La Fenice
, Venice
on 12 March 1857. Given the difficulties with the original plot, a revised version, with text changes by Arrigo Boito
, was first performed at La Scala
, Milan
on 24 March 1881. It is this version, with its Council Chamber scene as the finale to Act 1, that is usually given today.
in 1997 and by New York Grand Opera in 1999, the latter being its first New York performance.
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 – "How in the morning light / The sea and stars shine brightly"). 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, the two compare pictures in their lockets and 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 – "At that sweet hour which invites ecstacy / I was walking alone by the sea"). Boccanegra has Adorno arrested for the night (Aria: Plebe! Patrizi! Popolo! – "Plebians! Patricians! Inheritors / Of a fierce history"). Discerning that Paolo is the actual man responsible, he makes everyone, including Paolo, utter a curse on the real kidnapper.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
with a prologue and three acts by Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
to an Italian libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by Francesco Maria Piave
Francesco Maria Piave
Francesco Maria Piave was an Italian opera librettist who was born in Murano in the lagoon of Venice, during the brief Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. His career spanned over twenty years working with many of the significant composers of his day...
, based on the play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
Simón Bocanegra (1843) by Antonio García Gutiérrez
Antonio García Gutiérrez
Antonio García Gutiérrez was a Spanish Romantic dramatist.After having studied medicine in his native town, he moved to Madrid in 1833 and earned a meager living by translating plays of Eugène Scribe and Alexandre Dumas, père...
.
It was first performed at Teatro La Fenice
La Fenice
Teatro La Fenice is an opera house in Venice, Italy. It is one of the most famous theatres in Europe, the site of many famous operatic premieres. Its name reflects its role in permitting an opera company to "rise from the ashes" despite losing the use of two theatres...
, Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
on 12 March 1857. Given the difficulties with the original plot, a revised version, with text changes by Arrigo Boito
Arrigo Boito
Arrigo Boito , aka Enrico Giuseppe Giovanni Boito, pseudonym Tobia Gorrio, was an Italian poet, journalist, novelist and composer, best known today for his libretti, especially those for Giuseppe Verdi's operas Otello and Falstaff, and his own opera Mefistofele...
, was first performed at La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
, Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
on 24 March 1881. It is this version, with its Council Chamber scene as the finale to Act 1, that is usually given today.
Performance history
After its 1857 premiere, Simon Boccanegra was seen in Malta in 1860, Madrid and Lisbon in 1861, and Buenos Aires in 1862. But the opera was revised, and it is this later version — unveiled in 1881 in Milan, and given in Vienna and Paris in 1882 and 1883, respectively — that has become part of the standard operatic repertory. A concert performance of the original (1857) version — possibly its first hearing in 100 years — took place in London in 1975. This was broadcast the next year and issued on CD. The original was also performed by the Royal Opera, LondonRoyal Opera, London
The Royal Opera is an opera company based in central London, resident at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Along with the English National Opera, it is one of the two principal opera companies in London. Founded in 1946 as the Covent Garden Opera Company, it was known by that title until 1968...
in 1997 and by New York Grand Opera in 1999, the latter being its first New York performance.
Roles
| Role | Voice type Voice type A voice type is a particular kind of human singing voice perceived as having certain identifying qualities or characteristics. Voice classification is the process by which human voices are evaluated and are thereby designated into voice types... |
Premiere Cast 12 March 1857 (Conductor: — ) |
Revised version Premiere Cast 24 March 1881 (Conductor: Franco Faccio Franco Faccio Franco Faccio was an Italian composer and conductor.-Biography:Born in Verona, Faccio became known as a conductor of Verdi's music. He studied music at the Milan Conservatory where he was a pupil of Stefano Ronchetti-Monteviti... ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simon Boccanegra Simone Boccanegra Simone Boccanegra was the first doge of Genoa. His story was popularized by Antonio García Gutiérrez's 1843 play Simón Bocanegra and Giuseppe Verdi's 1857 opera Simon Boccanegra. Note the spellings.... , a corsair, later the first Doge of Genoa |
baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
Leone Giraldoni Leone Giraldoni Leone Giraldoni was a celebrated Italian operatic baritone. He created the title roles of Gaetano Donizetti's Il duca d'Alba and Verdi's Simon Boccanegra as well as the role of Renato in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera .Giraldoni studied in Florence with Luigi Ronzi and made his début as the High... |
Victor Maurel Victor Maurel Victor Maurel was a French operatic baritone who enjoyed an international reputation as a great singing-actor.-Biography:... |
| Maria Boccanegra, his daughter, known as Amelia Grimaldi |
soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
Luigia Bendazzi | Anna d'Angeri |
| Jacopo Fiesco, a Genoese nobleman, known as Andrea Grimaldi |
bass Bass (voice type) A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C... |
Giuseppe Echeverria | Edouard de Reszke Edouard de Reszke Édouard de Reszke, originally Edward, was a Polish bass from Warsaw. Born with an impressive natural voice and equipped with compelling histrionic skills, he became one of the most illustrious opera singers active in Europe and America during the late-Victorian Era.-Career:Édouard de Reszke was... |
| Gabriele Adorno Gabriele Adorno Gabriele Adorno was the fifth Doge of Genoa. A member of the noble Adorno family, he was elected on March 14, 1363 to succeed Simone Boccanegra, who had died in office; he remained in the position until August 13, 1370, and was succeeded by Domenico di Campofregoso.Adorno is a character in... , a Genoese gentleman |
tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
Carlo Negrini | Francesco Tamagno Francesco Tamagno Francesco Tamagno was an operatic tenor from Italy who sang with enormous success throughout Europe and America. On 5 February 1887, he cemented his place in musical history by creating the role of Otello in Giuseppe Verdi's masterpiece of the same name... |
| Paolo Albiani, a goldsmith and the Doge’s favourite courtier |
baritone | Giacomo Vercellini | Federico Salvati |
| Pietro, a Genoese popular leader and courtier |
bass | Andrea Bellini Andrea Bellini Andrea Bellini was an Italian operatic bass who had an active career performing in Italy's major opera houses from the 1840s through the 1870s. He specialized in the buffo repertoire and was most often heard in comprimario roles.-Career:... |
Giovanni Bianco |
| Captain of the Crossbowmen | tenor | Angelo Fiorentini | |
| Amelia’s maid | mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above... |
Fernanda Capelli | |
| Soldiers, sailors, people, senators, the Doge’s court, prisoners – Chorus | |||
Prologue
Paolo, the leader of the Plebian party, 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 because she bore Boccanegra an illegitimate child, Maria. Pietro rallies support for Boccanegra. Fiesco enters, stricken with grief over his daughter's death (Il lacerato spirito – "The tortured soul of a sad father"), but he does not reveal this to Boccanegra who accosts Fiesco and begs his forgiveness. Fiesco promises clemency only if Boccanegra lets Fiesco have his granddaughter. Boccanegra explains he cannot because the child has vanished. As the people hail Simon as the new Doge, he finds the body of his beloved.Act 1
Scene 1: Twenty-five years laterThe 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 – "How in the morning light / The sea and stars shine brightly"). 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, the two compare pictures in their lockets and 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 – "At that sweet hour which invites ecstacy / I was walking alone by the sea"). Boccanegra has Adorno arrested for the night (Aria: Plebe! Patrizi! Popolo! – "Plebians! Patricians! Inheritors / Of a fierce history"). 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 – "I feel a furious jealousy / Setting my soul on fire"). 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, which Paolo has previously placed on the table, 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 – "Forgive me, Amelia... A wild, / Jealous love was mine") and he 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.1881 Revised version
| Year | Cast (Boccanegra, Maria, Adorno, Fiesco) |
Conductor, Opera House and Orchestra |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | Lawrence Tibbett Lawrence Tibbett Lawrence Mervil Tibbett was a great American opera singer and recording artist who also performed as a film actor and radio personality. A baritone, he sang with the New York Metropolitan Opera company more than 600 times from 1923 to 1950... , Elisabeth Rethberg Elisabeth Rethberg The German soprano Elisabeth Rethberg was an opera singer of international repute active from the period of the First World War through to the early 1940s. Some hailed her as the greatest soprano of her day... , Giovanni Martinelli Giovanni Martinelli Giovanni Martinelli was a celebrated Italian operatic tenor. He was particularly associated with the Italian lyric-dramatic repertory, although he performed French operatic roles to great acclaim as well... , Ezio Pinza Ezio Pinza Ezio Pinza was an Italian basso opera singer with a rich, smooth and sonorous voice. He spent 22 seasons at New York's Metropolitan Opera, appearing in more than 750 performances of 50 operas... |
Ettore Panizza Ettore Panizza Ettore Panizza was an Argentinian conductor and composer, one of the leading conductors of the early 20th century. Panizza possessed technical mastery and was popular and influential during his time, widely admired by Richard Strauss.- Biography :Panizza was born in Buenos Aires, of Italian parents... , Metropolitan Opera Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager... Orchestra & Chorus |
Audio CD: Myto Historical Cat: 981H006 |
| 1951 | Paolo Silveri Paolo Silveri Paolo Silveri was an Italian baritone, particularly associated with the Italian repertory, one of the finest Verdi baritones of his time.... , Antonietta Stella Antonietta Stella Antonietta Stella is an Italian operatic soprano, one of the finest Italian spinto sopranos of the 1950s and 1960s, possessing a beautiful and ample voice, and particularly associated with Verdi and Puccini roles.Stella studied at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, and made her... , Carlo Bergonzi Carlo Bergonzi Carlo Bergonzi is an Italian operatic tenor. Although he performed and recorded some bel canto and verismo roles, he is above all associated with the operas of Giuseppe Verdi, including a large number of the composer's lesser-known works that he helped revive... , Mario Petri Mario Petri Mario Petri was an Italian operatic bass particularly associated with Mozart and Rossini roles.... |
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli Francesco Molinari-Pradelli Francesco Molinari-Pradelli was a prominent Italian opera conductor. He studied piano and composition at Bologna, and graduated from the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Rome in 1938. He made his debut at La Scala in 1946 and his Covent Garden debut in 1956... , Coro e Orchestra di Roma della RAI |
Audio CD: Warner Fonit Cat: 5050467 7906-2 |
| 1957 | Tito Gobbi Tito Gobbi Tito Gobbi was an Italian operatic baritone with an international reputation.-Biography:Tito Gobbi was born in Bassano del Grappa and studied law at the University of Padua before he trained as a singer. Giulio Crimi, a well-known Italian tenor of a previous generation, was Gobbi's teacher in Rome... , Victoria de los Ángeles Victoria de los Ángeles Victoria de los Ángeles was a Spanish Catalan operatic soprano and recitalist whose career began in the early 1940s and reached its height in the years from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s. Her obituary in The Times noted that she must be counted “among the finest singers of the second half... , Giuseppe Campora Giuseppe Campora Giuseppe Campora , was an Italian operatic tenor. Campora was one of the greatest Puccinian tenors of his generation... , Boris Christoff Boris Christoff Boris Christoff was a Bulgarian opera singer... |
Gabriele Santini Gabriele Santini Gabriele Santini was an Italian conductor, particularly associated with the Italian opera repertory.... , Teatro dell'Opera di Roma Teatro dell'Opera di Roma The Teatro dell'Opera di Roma is an opera house in Rome, Italy. Originally opened in November 1880 as the 2,212 seat Costanzi Theatre, it has undergone several changes of name as well modifications and improvements... orchestra and chorus |
Audio CD: EMI EMI The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major... Cat: CDMB 63513 (Digitally remastered, 1990) |
| 1958 | Tito Gobbi Tito Gobbi Tito Gobbi was an Italian operatic baritone with an international reputation.-Biography:Tito Gobbi was born in Bassano del Grappa and studied law at the University of Padua before he trained as a singer. Giulio Crimi, a well-known Italian tenor of a previous generation, was Gobbi's teacher in Rome... , Leyla Gencer Leyla Gencer Leyla Gencer, or Ayşe Leyla Çeyrekgil was a world-renowned Turkish operatic soprano.Known as "La Diva Turca" and "La Regina" in the opera world, Gencer was a notable bel canto soprano who spent most of her career in Italy, from the early 1950s through the mid-1980s, and had a repertoire... , Mirto Picchi Mirto Picchi Mirto Picchi was an Italian dramatic tenor, particularly associated with the Italian repertory, and with contemporary works.... , Ferruccio Mazzoli |
Mario Rossi, Teatro San Carlo Orchestra and Chorus, Naples (Video recording of a performance at Naples and audio recording of its soundtrack, 26 December) |
VHS Video, PAL only: Hardy Classics Cat: HCA 60002-2 Audio CD: Hardy Classics HCA 6002-2 |
| 1973 | Piero Cappuccilli Piero Cappuccilli Piero Cappuccilli was an Italian operatic baritone, particularly associated with Verdi roles, especiallyMacbeth and Simon Boccanegra; he was renowned for his extraordinary breath control and smooth legato, and is widely regarded as one of the finest Italian baritones of the second half of the 20th... , Katia Ricciarelli Katia Ricciarelli -Biography:Born at Rovigo, Veneto, to a very poor family, she struggled during her younger years when she studied music.She studied at the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory in Venice, won several vocal competitions in 1968, and made her professional debut as Mimì in La bohème in Mantua in 1969,... , Plácido Domingo Plácido Domingo Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range... , Ruggero Raimondi Ruggero Raimondi Ruggero Raimondi is an Italian bass-baritone opera singer who has also appeared in motion pictures.-Early training and career:Ruggero Raimondi was born in Bologna, Italy, during World War II... |
Gianandrea Gavazzeni Gianandrea Gavazzeni Gianandrea Gavazzeni was an Italian pianist, conductor , composer and musicologist.Gavazzeni was born in Bergamo. For almost 50 years, starting from 1948, he was principal conductor at La Scala, Milan, in 1966-68 being its music and artistic director.He had his Metropolitan Opera debut on 11... , RCA Italiana Opera Chorus and Orchestra |
Audio CD: RCA Records RCA Records RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label... Cat: RD 70729 |
| 1976 | Piero Cappuccilli Piero Cappuccilli Piero Cappuccilli was an Italian operatic baritone, particularly associated with Verdi roles, especiallyMacbeth and Simon Boccanegra; he was renowned for his extraordinary breath control and smooth legato, and is widely regarded as one of the finest Italian baritones of the second half of the 20th... , Katia Ricciarelli Katia Ricciarelli -Biography:Born at Rovigo, Veneto, to a very poor family, she struggled during her younger years when she studied music.She studied at the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory in Venice, won several vocal competitions in 1968, and made her professional debut as Mimì in La bohème in Mantua in 1969,... , Giorgio Merighi, Nicolai Ghiaurov Nicolai Ghiaurov Nicolai Ghiaurov was a Bulgarian opera singer and one of the most famous bass singers of the postwar period. He was admired for his powerful, sumptuous voice, and was particularly associated with roles of Verdi.Ghiaurov married the Italian soprano Mirella Freni in 1978... |
Oliviero de Fabritiis Oliviero De Fabritiis Oliviero De Fabritiis was an Italian conductor and composer.Born in Rome, where he studied with Refice and Setaccialo. He made his debut at the Teatro Nazionale in Rome in 1920, and later moved to the Teatro Adriano. He was artistic secretary at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma from 1932 until 1943... , NHK Symphony Orchestra NHK Symphony Orchestra The in Tokyo, Japan began as the New Symphony Orchestra on October 5, 1926 and was the country's first professional symphony orchestra. Later, it changed its name to Japan Symphony Orchestra and in 1951, after receiving financial support from NHK, it took its current name... and Union of Japan Professional Choruses, Tokyo (Recording of a performance in Tokyo, October) |
DVD: Premiere Opera Ltd 5173; Video Artists International Cat: VAI 4484 |
| 1977 | Piero Cappuccilli Piero Cappuccilli Piero Cappuccilli was an Italian operatic baritone, particularly associated with Verdi roles, especiallyMacbeth and Simon Boccanegra; he was renowned for his extraordinary breath control and smooth legato, and is widely regarded as one of the finest Italian baritones of the second half of the 20th... , Mirella Freni Mirella Freni Mirella Freni, birth name Mirella Fregni, is an Italian opera soprano whose repertoire includes Verdi, Puccini, Mozart and Tchaikovsky... , José Carreras José Carreras Josep Maria Carreras i Coll , better known as José Carreras , is a Spanish Catalan tenor particularly known for his performances in the operas of Verdi and Puccini... , Nicolai Ghiaurov Nicolai Ghiaurov Nicolai Ghiaurov was a Bulgarian opera singer and one of the most famous bass singers of the postwar period. He was admired for his powerful, sumptuous voice, and was particularly associated with roles of Verdi.Ghiaurov married the Italian soprano Mirella Freni in 1978... |
Claudio Abbado Claudio Abbado Claudio Abbado, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI , is an Italian conductor. He has served as music director of the La Scala opera house in Milan, principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, principal guest conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, music director of the Vienna State Opera,... , Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala |
Audio CD: DG Cat: 449 752-2 |
| 1984 | Sherrill Milnes Sherrill Milnes Sherrill Milnes is an American operatic baritone most famous for his Verdi roles. From 1965 until 1997 he was associated with the Metropolitan Opera.... , Anna Tomowa-Sintow Anna Tomowa-Sintow Anna Tomowa-Sintow is a Bulgarian soprano who has sung to great acclaim in all the major opera houses around the world in a repertoire that includes Mozart, Rossini, Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, and Strauss. She enjoyed a particularly close professional relationship with conductor Herbert von Karajan... , Vasile Moldoveanu, Paul Plishka Paul Plishka Paul Plishka is a Ukrainian-American bass opera singer.Mr Plishka comes from Old Forge, Pennsylvania and Paterson, New Jersey; his parents were American-born children of Ukrainian immigrants... |
James Levine James Levine James Lawrence Levine is an American conductor and pianist. He is currently the music director of the Metropolitan Opera and former music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Levine's first performance conducting the Metropolitan Opera was on June 5, 1971, and as of May 2011 he has... , Metropolitan Opera Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager... Orchestra and Chorus (Video recording of a performance at the Met, 29 December) |
DVD: Pioneer Classics Cat: PIBC 2010; Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label which was the foundation of the future corporation to be known as PolyGram. It is now part of Universal Music Group since its acquisition and absorption of PolyGram in 1999, and it is also UMG's oldest active label... Cat: 073 4403 |
| 1988 | Leo Nucci Leo Nucci Leo Nucci is an Italian operatic baritone, particularly suited to Verdi roles.Born at Castiglione dei Pepoli, near Bologna, he studied with Giuseppe Marchese and made his stage debut in Spoleto, as Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, in 1967, he then joined the chorus of La Scala in Milan, and... , Kiri te Kanawa Kiri Te Kanawa Dame Kiri Jeanette Te Kanawa, ONZ, DBE, AC is a New Zealand / Māori soprano who has had a highly successful international opera career since 1968. Acclaimed as one of the most beloved sopranos in both the United States and Britain she possesses a warm full lyric soprano voice, singing a wide array... , Giacomo Aragall Giacomo Aragall Jaume Aragall i Garriga better known as Giacomo Aragall is a Catalan Spanish tenor, born in Barcelona, Spain on 6 June 1939.After his initial studies in Barcelona under Jaime Francisco Puig, Giacomo Aragall travelled to Milan on a scholarship from the Liceu to study with Maestro Vladimir Badiali... , Paata Burchuladze Paata Burchuladze Paata Burchuladze is a Georgian bass opera singer.Born in Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, he graduated from the Tbilisi State Conservatory and began his operatic career at Tbilisi and Moscow, with subsequent appearances at Covent Garden , Salzburg Festival under Herbert von Karajan , Metropolitan Opera in... |
Sir Georg Solti, Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala |
Audio CD: Decca Decca Records Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades.... Cat: 475 7011 |
| 1995 | Vladimir Chernov Vladimir Chernov Vladimir Chernov is a Russian baritone, particularly associated with the Russian and Italian opera repertories.-Early life:... , Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Kiri Te Kanawa Dame Kiri Jeanette Te Kanawa, ONZ, DBE, AC is a New Zealand / Māori soprano who has had a highly successful international opera career since 1968. Acclaimed as one of the most beloved sopranos in both the United States and Britain she possesses a warm full lyric soprano voice, singing a wide array... , Plácido Domingo Plácido Domingo Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range... , Robert Lloyd |
James Levine James Levine James Lawrence Levine is an American conductor and pianist. He is currently the music director of the Metropolitan Opera and former music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Levine's first performance conducting the Metropolitan Opera was on June 5, 1971, and as of May 2011 he has... , Metropolitan Opera Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager... orchestra and chorus |
DVD: Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label which was the foundation of the future corporation to be known as PolyGram. It is now part of Universal Music Group since its acquisition and absorption of PolyGram in 1999, and it is also UMG's oldest active label... Cat: 00440 073 0319 |
| 2010 | Placido Domingo Plácido Domingo Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range... , Adrianne Pieczonka Adrianne Pieczonka Adrianne Pieczonka, OC is a Canadian soprano opera singer. Pronounced AY-dree-in pyeh-CHON-kuh .She was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, and grew up near Toronto in Burlington and graduated from the Opera School of the University of Toronto. She also graduated from the University of Western Ontario... , Marcello Giordani Marcello Giordani Marcello Giordani is an Italian operatic tenor who has sung leading roles in opera houses throughout Europe and the United States. He has had a distinguished association with the New York Metropolitan Opera, where he has sung in over 170 performances since his debut there in 1993... , James Morris James Morris -Arts:*James Morris , American opera singer*James Shepherd Morris , Scottish architect, partner in Morris and Steedman*James Corbitt Morris , US musician known as Jimmy Driftwood... |
James Levine James Levine James Lawrence Levine is an American conductor and pianist. He is currently the music director of the Metropolitan Opera and former music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Levine's first performance conducting the Metropolitan Opera was on June 5, 1971, and as of May 2011 he has... , Metropolitan Opera Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager... Orchestra and Chorus, New York (Recording of live performance at the Metropolitan Opera, January/February) |
DVD: Sony Sony , commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues.... Cat: 780664 |
1857 Original version
| Year | Cast (Boccanegra, Maria, Adorno, Fiesco) |
Conductor, Opera House and Orchestra |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Sesto Bruscantini Sesto Bruscantini Sesto Bruscantini was an Italian baritone, one of the greatest buffo singers of the post-war era, especially renowned in Mozart and Rossini.... , Josella Ligi, Andre Turp André Turp André Turp was a Canadian tenor, particularly associated with the French and Italian repertories.- Life and career :... , Gwynne Howell Gwynne Howell Gwynne Howell is a Welsh bass, particularly associated with Verdi and Wagner roles.-Life and career:Born in Gorseinon, Wales, he studied at the RMCM, where he sang Leporello in concert, and Hunding, Fasolt, and Pogner in staged performances.He joined the Sadler's Wells Theatre in 1968, and the... |
John Matheson John Matheson John Ross Matheson, OC, CD, QC is a Canadian lawyer, judge, and politician who helped develop both the maple leaf flag and the Order of Canada.- Early life :... , BBC Concert Orchestra BBC Concert Orchestra The BBC Concert Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London, one of the British Broadcasting Corporation's five radio orchestras. With around fifty players, it is the only one of the five which is not a full-scale symphony orchestra.... and the BBC Singers (Recording of a concert performance in the Golders Green Hippodrome on 2 August; broadcast on 1 January 1976) |
Audio CD: Opera Rara Opera Rara Opera Rara is a British record label, founded in the early 1970s by Americans Patric Schmid and Don White to promote concerts of rare and/or forgotten operas by Giacomo Meyerbeer and Donizetti and such other "bel canto" composers as Giovanni Pacini, Saverio Mercadante, and Federico Ricci.The... Cat: ORCV 302 |
| 1999 | Vitorio Vitelli, Annalisa Raspagliosi, Warren Mok, Francesco Ellero d'Artegna |
Renato Palumbo, Orchestra Internationale d'Italia (Recording made at performances at the Festival della Valle d'Itria Festival della Valle d'Itria The Festival della Valle d’Itria is a summer opera festival held in the south eastern Italian town of Martina Franca in the Apulia region. The Festival was founded in 1975 and performances are given in July and August each summer on a specially constructed stage in the outdoor courtyard of the... , Martina Franca, 4, 6, 8 August) |
Audio CD: Dynamic, 268/1-2 |
External links
- Libretto
- Simon Boccanegra synopsis from the Metropolitan OperaMetropolitan OperaThe Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
online. - Arias and roles of Simon Boccanegra from aria-database.com