Simon Boccanegra

Verdi originally premiered the opera in 1857, but he was unhappy with its dramatic flaws. In 1881, heavily collaborating with his librettist Arrigo Boito, Verdi released a thoroughly revised version that fixed the plot mechanics. It is this 1881 revision that is almost exclusively performed in opera houses today.

It is a dark, political drama set in 14th-century Genoa that heavily focuses on the bitter, long-standing feud between the plebeians (led by the pirate Boccanegra) and the aristocratic patricians. The plot thickens around Boccanegra's long-lost daughter, Maria, and themes of political assassination and poisoning. It is widely considered one of Verdi's most psychologically complex works.

The brilliant poet and composer Arrigo Boito was enlisted to restructure the confusing original libretto for the 1881 revival. Boito famously convinced Verdi to come out of his long retirement by completely overhauling the council chamber scene. They would later go on to collaborate on Verdi's final two masterpieces, "Otello" and "Falstaff".

The updated "Council Chamber" scene at the end of Act 1 is widely considered one of the most thrilling and dramatically effective ensemble pieces Verdi ever wrote. It features multiple factions of angry citizens violently clashing on stage while the Doge attempts to maintain order. Verdi's mastery of orchestral drama is on full display here.