Un Ballo In Maschera

Despite having been labeled as being out of fashion or even outrageously termed as a boring affair, there is still an unfading lot of opera fan following which understands and enjoys the true spirit of these magnificent breath taking performances. Marvelous performances are staged in opera houses worldwide to entertain opera lovers and the passion and intensity associated with any opera performance is bound to move anyone who has an eye for art. This is the reason why opera houses endlessly manage to put up fully sold out shows to date and continue to keep the glory of opera alive. Amongst such glorious performances is Giuseppe Verdi’s legendary opera Un Ballo In Maschera (A Masked Ball) with its text written by Antonio Somma. Get your Un Ballo In Maschera tickets today to witness this mesmerizing performance as it comes to an opera house near you.

Verdi’s libretto somewhat reflects the 1833 French play Gustave III by the talented author Eugène Scribe, which is based on the eventful assassination of the Swedish King Gustav III. The muse for the opera was renowned and had inspired several other well known composers like Daniel Auber for his opera Gustave III, Ou Le Bal Masque, as well as Saverio Mercadante for his version of the story known as Il Reggente. The storyline of Un Ballo In Maschera artistically encapsulates the events revolving around and leading to the assassination of the King of Sweden, Gustav III, in 1792 due to a political conspiracy being launched against him. The King was fatally shot while he was in attendance of a masked ball, leading to his death within two weeks of the tragic incident due to grave wounds.

Scribe initially used the real historical figures associated with the planning and execution of the assassination that took place at the masked ball to name the prominent characters of the Un Ballo In Maschera libretto. The remaining essence of romance, fortune telling and drama was incorporated by Scribe himself making a use of his fantasy and imaginative capabilities. This incorporation reduces the historical validity of the opera and reserves it as a piece entirely meant for art and entertainment rather than factual interpretation. The play underwent further changes at an immense level owing the lack of political favorability prevalent in France during the era of the opera’s launch as well as censorship restriction imposed by Roman as well as Neapolitan laws.

These circumstances lead to amendments being made to the originally conceived Un Ballo In Maschera to make it into a lesser suggestive narrative. The setting of the opera was shifted from Europe to Boston under British colonial rule. Also, the main lead of the opera was renamed as Riccardo, the Count (or Earl) of Warwick, with his status was changed from that of a king to a colonial governor. Thus the opera that the audience came to know of revolved around the noble and ambitious leader Riccardo who secretly falls in love with his closest advisor’s wife and is tactfully killed by Ricardo joining forces with jealous conspirators upon the revelation of this secret.

The Un Ballo In Maschera consists of three acts and artfully entails the tragic events leading to a coldblooded killing while managing to conserve the brilliance of the opera, and has even been branded by critics as possessing the radiance of a Shakespearean work. This classic opera was first premiered in the United States in New York in 1861 and has been running for centuries now. With lesser strict policies now in place, some of the stagings have even gone back to using the initial Swedish setting as well as the names of the characters. It was even adopted by the prestigious Gothenburg Opera in Gothenburg, Sweden, and has gone on to become a prominent part of their collection. Reserve the Un Ballo In Maschera tickets for yourself by visiting our website in order to be mesmerized by this wonderful performance.