Simon Boccanegra Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Simon Boccanegra
by Giuseppe Verdi
First edition libretto for the 1881 revision
Librettist	Francesco Maria Piave (first version) Arrigo Boito (second version)
Language	Italian
Based on	Antonio García Gutiérrez's Simón Bocanegra (1843)
Premiere	12 March 1857 (1857-03-12) (first version) 24 March 1881 (1881-03-24) (second version) : La Fenice, Venice (first version) La Scala, Milan (second version)

Simon Boccanegra is an opera by the famous Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi. An opera is like a play where all the words are sung, usually with an orchestra. This opera has a short introduction called a prologue and three main parts called acts. The words for the opera, called the libretto, were written by Francesco Maria Piave and later changed by Arrigo Boito.

The story of Simon Boccanegra is based on a play by Antonio García Gutiérrez. It was first shown in Venice on March 12, 1857. At first, it wasn't very popular. Many years later, Verdi worked with Arrigo Boito to make big changes to the story and music. The new version was performed in Milan on March 24, 1881. This updated version is the one people usually see and hear today.

Main Characters
The Story of the Opera
Images for kids
See also

Main Characters

This table shows the main characters in the opera and who first played them.

Role	Voice type	Premiere Cast 12 March 1857	Revised version Premiere Cast 24 March 1881
Simon Boccanegra, a brave sailor, who later becomes the first leader of Genoa	baritone	Leone Giraldoni	Victor Maurel
Maria Boccanegra, his daughter, who is known as Amelia Grimaldi	soprano	Luigia Bendazzi	Anna d'Angeri
Jacopo Fiesco, a rich leader from Genoa, known as Andrea Grimaldi	bass	Giuseppe Echeverria	Edouard de Reszke
Gabriele Adorno, a young gentleman from Genoa	tenor	Carlo Negrini	Francesco Tamagno
Paolo Albiani, a goldsmith and Simon's favorite helper	baritone	Giacomo Vercellini	Federico Salvati
Pietro, a leader of the common people and a helper to Simon	bass	Andrea Bellini	Giovanni Bianco
Captain of the Crossbowmen	tenor		Angelo Fiorentini
Amelia’s maid	mezzo-soprano		Fernanda Capelli
Soldiers, sailors, townspeople, senators, the Doge’s court, prisoners – Chorus

The Story of the Opera

The story of Simon Boccanegra happens in the middle of the 14th century. It takes place in a city called Genoa, which is now part of Italy. Back then, Italy was not one country. Genoa was a small, independent republic, much like Venice. It was ruled by a special leader called a Doge. The word "Doge" means "duke" in Italian.

For a long time, only rich, powerful families, called patricians, could become Doge. But in this story, the common people, called plebeians, want to choose their own leader.

At the start of the story, Jacopo Fiesco is the Doge of Genoa. His daughter, Maria, has fallen in love with Simon Boccanegra. Simon is a plebeian, so he is not from a rich family. Even though Simon is a hero who has fought many pirates, Fiesco does not think he is good enough to marry Maria.

Simon and Maria had a secret child, a baby girl. They gave her to an old woman to care for. But one day, the old woman died, and the little girl disappeared. She was later found by the sea by Count Grimaldi. He raised her as his own daughter, thinking she was an orphan. No one knows her true family.

Prologue: A New Leader

The opera begins with Paolo, a leader of the plebeian party. He convinces Pietro to get the common people to vote for Simon Boccanegra as the new Doge. Simon agrees, hoping that if he becomes Doge, Fiesco will let him marry Maria. Fiesco has kept Maria locked away for three months because she had a child with Simon.

Sadly, Maria dies. We never see her in the opera. Fiesco is very sad about his daughter's death. Simon begs Fiesco to forgive him. Fiesco doesn't tell Simon that Maria has just died. He says he will forgive Simon only if Simon gives him his granddaughter. Simon explains he can't, because the child disappeared. Simon goes into Maria’s room and finds her dead. Meanwhile, the people outside celebrate because Simon has been chosen as the new Doge.

Act 1: Twenty-Five Years Later

Twenty-five years have passed. Simon is still the Doge. He has sent many of his enemies away from Genoa and taken their property. Count Grimaldi is one of these exiled enemies.

In the Grimaldi castle, Fiesco is living under a different name, Andrea Grimaldi. He is secretly planning with Simon’s enemies to remove Simon from power. Fiesco doesn't know that his granddaughter, Simon’s daughter, is the young woman living in the castle. Her name is Amelia Grimaldi.

Amelia sings a beautiful song about the morning and the sea. Her lover, Gabriele Adorno, arrives. She warns him about the dangers of political plots. News comes that the Doge, Simon, is visiting. Amelia worries that Simon will make her marry Paolo. So, she asks Gabriele to quickly get permission from Andrea (who is Fiesco) for them to marry. Fiesco agrees. He tells Gabriele that Amelia was a poor orphan they found. Gabriele says he doesn't care about her past, and Fiesco blesses their marriage.

Simon enters. He tells Amelia that Count Grimaldi is forgiven and can return home. Simon asks Amelia if she wants to marry Paolo, but she refuses. She tells Simon she is an orphan and shows him a locket with a picture of her mother. Simon realizes that Amelia is his long-lost daughter! They are overjoyed to have found each other. When Paolo enters, Simon tells him he cannot marry Amelia. Paolo is furious and decides to kidnap Amelia.

In the next scene, Simon is with his Council, made up of both plebeian and patrician members. They are discussing whether to make peace with the republic of Venice. Suddenly, a crowd rushes in, shouting for Simon's death. They are chasing Gabriele. Gabriele confesses that he killed Lorenzino, who tried to kidnap Amelia. As Lorenzino was dying, he said an important person told him to do it. Adorno thinks Simon must have ordered the kidnapping. He is about to attack Simon when Amelia stops the fight. Simon arrests Gabriele. He realizes Paolo must be the real kidnapper. Simon makes everyone, including Paolo, curse the kidnapper. Simon and his daughter are left alone on stage at the end of the act.

Act 2: Danger and Discovery

Paolo is scared and very angry with Simon. He decides he must poison Simon. Fiesco and Gabriele are brought in. Paolo tells Fiesco he can be free if he murders Simon. Fiesco refuses. As Fiesco and Gabriele are about to leave, Paolo tells Gabriele that Amelia is in the palace with Simon. Gabriele is furious.

When Amelia enters, she denies Paolo's story. She tells Gabriele she loves him and tries to get him to leave. But Simon is coming, so Gabriele hides.

Amelia tells Simon she would die for Gabriele. Simon agrees to forgive Gabriele. Simon then drinks from a poisoned glass of wine that Paolo had placed on the table. He falls asleep. Gabriele tries to kill Simon, but Amelia stops him. Simon wakes up. He tells Gabriele that Amelia is his daughter. Gabriele begs Simon for forgiveness and promises to fight for him.

Act 3: The End of a Journey

This act takes place in a grand hall overlooking the harbor. Fiesco has been set free. Paolo is sentenced to death for leading the uprising against the Doge. Paolo tells Fiesco that he has poisoned Simon.

Fiesco goes to Simon, who is now slowly dying from the poison. Simon recognizes his old enemy, Fiesco, whom he thought was dead. Simon is happy to tell Fiesco that Amelia is his long-lost granddaughter. Fiesco feels terrible and tells Simon about the poison.

Gabriele and Amelia have just gotten married. They find her father and grandfather are now friends. Simon asks for Gabriele to be the next Doge when he dies. Fiesco goes to the window and tells the crowd that Gabriele Adorno is now the new Doge and that Simon Boccanegra has died.