By Meighan Szigeti, Associate Manager, Digital Marketing

What’s it all about?
The story is worthy of a modern TV drama series. A very human tale of political intrigue and forbidden love, A Masked Ball was inspired by the real-life assassination of Sweden’s King Gustav III.  King Gustavo is in love with his best friend’s wife, Amelia, and she is in love with him. Their clandestine attraction is discovered by her husband who vows to take revenge at a masked ball. 

Why is it special?
Born out of Verdi’s fertile middle-period, many opera lovers would say that this is one of Verdi’s best pieces. The production stands or falls by its singers, and all five major roles give the best in opera the chance to showcase their immense talents. The powerful story also lends to the magnificent score, and the contemporary story of a mature (but ultimately doomed) love story, still resonates with audiences.

THE HISTORY

Who was Giuseppe Verdi?

Only one of the most prolific composers of all time! After his breakout hit with Nabucco, Verdi became an operatic workaholic and was responsible for famous operas such as Il Trovatore (which ran at the COC only last fall!) Rigoletto, La traviata, Luisa Miller, Macbeth, Simon Boccanegra, Aida and more. He is arguably the most famous opera composer of all time, although Puccini fans may disagree with that statement.

When did it premiere?
The opera was actually meant for a premiere in Naples, but Verdi had particular trouble getting Antonio Somma’s libretto through the censors who determined what could appear on an opera stage in Italy. The libretto aside, many were wary of the depiction of a king assassinated in his own court. Even after several critical revisions were made, the Neapolitan censors were not appeased and the opera finally had its premiere in Rome in 1859.

What are the most memorable musical moments?
We've picked the most memorable musical moments from A Masked Ball, featuring Riccardo and Amelia's clandestine duet "Non sai tu che se l'anima mia il rimorso dilacera e rode.." and Renato's emotionally charged and fraught Aria "Eri tu che macchiavi quell'anima". Discover all of them in the Listening Guide below!  

THE PRODUCTION

What will it look like?
As many Verdi buffs know, the history behind the setting of A Masked Ball lends to this production well. After nearly bending over backwards to appease the Italian censors concerns of regicide, violence and to be respectful of the intense political climate of the late 1850s, Verdi decided to move the setting from a contemporary European setting to Boston in the British colonial period. 

That American setting is revisited as directors Jossi Wieler and Sergio Morabito keep the setting in America, but shift the time frame from a colonial period to the America of the 1950s and 1960s. That time period in particular conjures associations with the Kennedy assassination and the racially-motivated political climate in that time period – racial undertones that Verdi confronts with Antonio Somma’s libretto. Though set in the 50s and 60s, the directors also make references to other American cultural symbols outside that era.

Who is starring in it? 
This particular production will see the role debuts of a wide range of current opera stars and favourites. 

A Masked Ball runs from February 2 to February 22 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. To learn more and to purchase tickets, click here.

Photos: (top) Catherine Naglestad as Amelia and Piotr Beczala as Riccardo in the Berlin Staatsoper production of Un ballo in maschera, 2008. Photo by Ruth Walz; (middle) (l – r) Catherine Naglestad as Amelia, Piotr Beczala as Riccardo, Dalibor Jenis as Renato, Anna Prohaska as Oscar, Oliver Zwarg as Samuel and Andreas Bauer as Tom in the Berlin Staatsoper production of Un ballo in maschera, 2008. Photo by Ruth Walz; (bottom) Sergio Morabito. Photo by A.T. Schaefer & Jossi Wieler Photo by Martin Sigmund.