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Afternoon Concert: Thursday Opera Matinee: Verdi 200 - Un ballo in maschera

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Music: Classical: Opera

Verdi 200 - Un ballo in maschera

03/10/2013

BBC Radio 3 - Afternoon Concert

Penny Gore presents a performance of Verdi's opera Un ballo in maschera.

Penny Gore presents a performance given at the Sao Carlos National Theatre in Lisbon in 2000 of Verdi's Un ballo in maschera. Starring Dennis O'Neill and Aprile Millo.

Part of Verdi 200 - Radio 3's celebration of Verdi's bicentenary. Today's Opera Matinee is Verdi's Un ballo in maschera - The Masked Ball.

In 1792 King Gustavus III of Sweden was shot and fatally wounded at a masked ball, and this event was the inspiration behind Verdi's opera.

Depicting regicide, even in opera, in 19th century Europe was pretty much taboo, and Verdi had to struggle with censors in Naples and Rome to get the opera performed.

On 9th January 1858 Verdi wrote that he was on his way to Naples for rehearsals and was finishing the the full score. Unfortunately for Verdi, on 14th January three Italians made an assassination attempt on Emperor Napoleon III in Paris and rehearsals came to a sudden end. After a year of legal claims and counter-claims Verdi presented his opera to the censors in Rome who demanded that events in the opera must be completely removed from anywhere in Europe and Verdi moved everything to Boston in the USA. What we are left with is basically one opera with two sets of characters depending on where the opera is set. Today's version is set in Boston.

Riccardo, governor of Boston, is holding a masked ball and is thrilled to see the name of Amelia on the attendance list. Riccardo loves Amelia, who, unfortunately for Riccardo, is already married to Renato, his friend and right-hand man. Renato warns Riccardo of a conspiracy againt him which Riccardo shrugs off, turning instead to an accusation of witchcraft against Ulrica, a fortune-teller. Riccardo is intrigued and with himself and his attendants in disguise sets off to see Ulrica for himself. Riccardo is watching the fortune-teller in action when Amelia appears and confesses that she is attracted to Riccardo, and needs Ulrica's help to settle the situation. Amelia leaves to find a herb in the woods which Ulrica has told her will help. Riccardo reveals himself to Ulrica and demands she tell his fortune. Chillingly, Ulrica tells Riccardo that he will be killed by the next man to shake his hand. Renato appears and unwittingly shakes Riccardo's hand.

In Act 2 Riccardo has met Amelia in the woods and they declare their love for each other. Renato appears to warn Riccardo once more of the plot against him, and this time Riccardo takes notice, but asks Renato to take care of the now veiled woman (Amelia) Riccardo has been meeting. Renato fails to identify his own wife Amelia until the consprators arrive and struggle with Renato and Amelia's veil falls to the ground. Renato is shocked, and seeing that his own wife has been meeting Riccardo in the woods, alone and late at night, assumes the worst and vows revenge.

In Act 3 Renato has decided to kill Amelia for the shame his wife has brought on him, but then changes his mind and decides to kill Riccardo instead. Meanwhile Riccardo has decided to do the decent thing and renounce his love for Amelia out of respect for her and Renato's marriage.
The masked ball is in full flow and Renato discovers the identity of Riccardo's costume, confronts him and fatally stabs him. As he dies Riccardo tells Renato that Amelia was true to him, Renato, and never broke her marriage vows.


This performance was recorded at the São Carlos National Theatre in Lisbon in July 2000. Denis O'Neill, Aprile Millo and Lado Atanelli take the three principal roles.

Un ballo in maschera (A Masked Ball), opera in three acts,


Amelia ..... Aprile Millo, soprano
Riccardo ..... Dennis O'Neill, tenor
Renato ..... Lado Ataneli, baritone
Ulrica ..... Elisabetta Fiorillo, mezzo
Oscar, Riccardo's page ..... Mariola Cantarero, soprano
Judge ..... António Silva, tenor
Amelia's Servant ..... João Miguel Queirós, tenor
Silvano ..... Luís Rodrigues, baritone
Samuel ..... Ignasi Gomar, bass
Tom ..... Celestino Varela, bass
São Carlos National Theatre Chorus
Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
Antonio Pirolli.

Afternoon Concert: Thursday Opera Matinee

Thursday Opera Matinee

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