Grange Park Opera

Who knew that the political shenanigans of 15th-century Genoa could be so gripping?

The plebeians plan to overthrow the aristos; a former pirate becomes Doge; a little girl disappears; poison is poured into a glass of drinking water.

Verdi first wrote this score in middle age. Returning to it decades later, he transformed a complex drama into this masterpiece, where dark personal histories clash with affairs of state.

Simon Keenlyside stars as the tortured, conflicted Doge, trying to do the right thing.

Cast & Creatives

SIMON BOCCANEGRA ∙ SIR SIMON KEENLYSIDE     Sponsored by Ruth Markland
JACOPO FIESCO, a nobleman ∙ JAMES CRESWELL
AMELIA GRIMALDI, his daughter ∙ ELIN PRITCHARD
GABRIELE ADORNO, a gentleman ∙ LEONARDO CAPALBO
PAOLO ALBIANI, the Doge’s friend ∙ JOLYON LOY
PIETRO, a popular leader ∙ DAVID SHIPLEY

CONDUCTOR ∙ GIANLUCA MARCIANO
REVIVAL DIRECTOR ∙ ROBIN TEBBUTT
ORIGINAL DIRECTOR ∙ DAVID POUNTNEY
ORIGINAL SET DESIGN ∙ RALPH KOLTAI
ORIGINAL COSTUME DESIGN ∙ SUE WILLMINGTON
LIGHTING DESIGNER ∙ TIM MITCHELL

Prologue

Genoa

Paolo and Pietro, commoners, vie to end aristocratic rule. They persuade Simon Boccanegra to stand for election as Doge. A former pirate, Boccanegra hopes that as Doge he would be allowed to wed his beloved Maria, daughter of the aristocrat Jacopo Fiesco.

Boccanegra and Maria have had a daughter. The child lives with Boccanegra.

Fiesco conceals the news that Maria has died and visits Boccanegra, insisting the child is returned to the maternal home. But, some time back, the child vanished. On entering Fiesco’s palace, Boccanegra discovers Maria’s corpse. The crowds hail him Doge – an office held for life.

Act 1

25 years later

Fiesco takes on the pseudonym ‘Andrea Grimaldi’ and plots revenge. He is guardian to Amelia, the adoptive heiress of the Grimaldi fortune. No one knows that she is the long-lost daughter of Boccanegra and Fiesco’s daughter.

Amelia has fallen in love with the nobleman Gabriele Adorno, Boccanegra’s enemy. However, they are concerned that Boccanegra plans to marry her off to his friend Paolo.

Fiesco blesses Amelia’s union with Adorno (who has been told that she is a foundling, rather than a blood relative). The Doge (Boccanegra) in conversation with her, realises from a set of matching portraits that they are father and daughter. Boccanegra abandons the idea of her marriage to Paolo.

Paolo is furious and vows to kidnap Amelia.

A crowd chases Adorno into the Doge’s chamber. Adorno has killed a man who has kidnapped Amelia. Adorno believes Boccanegra is behind the kidnapping; Boccanegra realises that it is his friend Paolo who is behind it. The Doge calls on the people – including Paolo – to swear vengeance on the kidnapper who must be found.

Act 2

Paolo has taken Fiesco captive and plans to get rid of the Doge. He is poisoning Boccanegra’s water and asks Fiesco and Adorno to join the plot. They refuse.

Paolo implies that Amelia is Boccanegra’s mistress. Outraged, Adorno is about to stab the sleeping Doge when Amelia intervenes, telling him Boccanegra is her father. Paolo is stirring up a rebellion. Boccanegra will allow Adorno to marry Amelia if he can crush the rebels.

Act 3

The rebellion has been crushed and Paolo will be hanged. On his way to the gallows, he brags to Fiesco about the poison.

Close to death, Boccanegra realises Grimaldi is his old enemy Fiesco and tells him that Amelia is his granddaughter. The pair are reconciled and Boccanegra declares Adorno his successor.