Simon Boccanegra

Synopsis

Simon Boccanegra, a corsair, and his lover Maria have a child, but Maria dies in childbirth and her father (Fiesco) refuses to acknowledge Boccanegra as his son-in-law. Boccanegra is later elected Doge of Genoa and, as the years pass and his power grows he is plotted against by Fiesco and Adorno (a young nobleman in love with Fiesco's ward). Boccanegro recognises Fiesco's ward as his lost daughter but is poisoned - the parties are reconciled as Boccanegra dies and declares Adorno his successor.

Our Review:

11 March 2013

In an approach to one of Verdi’s greatest operas which relies almost entirely upon Verdi’s music and concentrates on a clear statement of the libretto, James Conway delivers a major lesson to the world of operatic direction. By stripping away every possible distraction, ignoring costuming conventions and discarding the usual set paraphernalia associated with Grand Opera, this production emerges with a sense of drama and clarity of the plot which makes it stand head and shoulders above any production of Boccanegra I have ever seen. The opening prelude disclosing the relationship of Boccanegra and Fiesco sets a standard of intelligent singing and acting which is maintained throughout the whole opera. Grant Doyle and Piotr Lampa as Paolo Albani and Pietro provide a convincing insight to the struggles which are going on between the patricians and the plebes to determine who should become the new leader in Genoa. Both they and Craig Smith as Simon Boccanegra and Keel Watson...

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