(Un ballo in maschera) by GIUSEPPE VERDI
Libretto by EUGENE SCRIBE starring
When the King of Sweden met his death at the hands of conspirators during a masked ball in 1792, the motive for the crime was certainly not any affair between the king and his secretary's wife.
However Eugene Scribe 's re-writing of history inspired one of Verdi's most radiant love duets.
With this production
Claudio Abbado launched his musical directorship of the Vienna State Opera. Act I
Scene 1: The royal palace in Stockholm
Scene 2: Ulrica's dwelling
Interview with Julian Budden , a leading authority on the works of Verdi, who also introduces the opera.
Act II
Scene 1: The gallows field outside Stockholm
Scene 2: The Stockholm Opera House
CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA OF
THE VIENNA STATE OPERA Designer EMANUELE LUZATTI
Producer GLANFRANCO DE BOSIO Sung in Italian with English subtitles by GILLIAN WIDDICOMBE Directed for television by BRIAN LARGE (R)