Opera in three acts and a prelude. Music of Giuseppe Verdi, booklet of Francesco Maria Piave according to a part of Antonio Garcia Gutièrrez.

It was created the March 12th 1857 with the theater of the Fenice to Venice.

One second version, whose booklet was taken again by Arrigo Boito, was created with the Scala of Milan the March 24th 1881.

Characters

• Main roles:

• Simon Boccanegra , corsair then Doge de Gênes - Baritone
• Maria Boccanegra , her daughter (also under the name of Amelia Grimaldi) - Soprano
• Jacopo Fiesco , noble génois (also under the name of Andrea Grimaldi) - Low
• Gabriele Adorno , gentleman génois - Tenor
• secondary Roles:
• Paolo Albiani , goldsmith then favorite courtier of the doge - Low
• Pietro , popular leader génois and courtier - Baritone
• Captain of the arbalettiers - Tenor
• Others:
• Maidservant of Amelia - Mezzo-soprano
• Soldiers, sailors, people, senators, court of the doge, prisoners - Chorus

Synopsis

Place: Genoa and its alentours.
Time: medium 14th century.

Be a prelude to

At the 14th century, Genoa is torn by the fights between patricians and plebeian. The sailor Simon Boccanegra and his amante Maria make the expenses of these internal quarrels: the father of Maria is not other than the doge of the city, the Fiesco patrician. When he learned that it had given a child to Simon, he assigned his daughter with residence. The two lovers had entrusted their daughter to an old maidservant but this one died, and the child mysteriously disappeared. With the approach of the elections, plebeian Paolo proposes in Simon to be presented. There this one accepts, seeing its single chance to obtain the hand of Maria. But Maria dies. Corroded by the pain, Fiesco declares in Simon that only the sight of his/her little girl will be able to reconcile them. And Simon Boccanegra is elected doge.

Act I

Twenty-five years passed on Genoa, from now on controlled by Simon Boccanegra. But hatred between plebeian and patricians did not calm down. Fiesco was withdrawn outside the city with Amelia, orphan whom it collected on the shore and raised like his own daughter. Simon Boccanegra promised the hand of Amelia with Paolo, become its protected, but the young girl is in love with Gabriele, whose father was formerly killed by Simon Boccanegra. Dramatic turn of events: Simon recognizes as an Amelia his daughter, missing before twenty-five years. But the joy of the meeting again is of short duration: when Boccanegra refuses the hand of Amelia to him, Paolo removes the young girl. The private conflict takes political proportions: Gabriele, which suspect Simon Boccanegra of being the author of removal, and Fiesco cause an insurrection. Simon must face the people, however that the confrontations between plebeian and patricians lead the city at the edge of the civil war. Thanks to Amelia, the truth bursts: Paolo is uncovered, Gabriele and Fiesco is imprisoned.

Act II

Paolo, which burns to be avenged, projects to poison Simon Boccanegra. It succeeds in persuading Gabriele to be combined with him, while making him believe that Simon maintains a connection with Amelia. But when Gabriele is found vis-a-vis the doge, the intervention of Amelia once more makes it possible to make the light: the young patrician gives up his plan by learning that Simon is the father of its been engaged. The doge forgives him, but, outside, the rebellion has just started, and Simon already drank a mouthful of poison.

Act III

The revolt is finally crushed. Paolo is stopped then carried out. Fiesco howls its hatred against Simon Boccanegra. But by revealing to him that Amelia is the girl of Maria, Simon recalls him twenty-five years an old promise: the plebeian one and the patrician was to make peace the day when this last would re-examine its grand-daughter. It is the so much hoped reconciliation. Amelia will marry Gabriele which will succeed Simon. Crowd in jubilation claims Simon Boccanegra, but the poison unrelentingly achieved its work, and already darkness wraps the doge…

External bond

• Booklet