Simon Boccanegra Synopsis
Genoa is ruled by opposing groups of patricians and plebeians. Simon Boccanegra, a plebeian, is a famous corsair who has
led successful raids on Genoa’s enemies. He has fallen in love with Maria, the daughter of the patrician Jacopo Fiesco, and
they have had a child. Fiesco has forbidden his daughter to marry someone of lower rank; he has imprisoned her in his palace
and is widely known to treat her cruelly. The baby girl has been taken by Boccanegra and is being raised by a nurse. Paolo
Albiani, another plebeian, plans to exploit Boccanegra’s love for Maria to gain power.
Prologue: A piazza in front of the Fieschi palace
In the upcoming election of the Doge, Paolo’s choice
for the plebeian candidate is Simon Boccanegra. Paolo
persuades Boccanegra to stand: as Doge, the pirate could
not be refused the hand of even a Fiesco. Paolo’s ally
Pietro rallies a crowd of citizens to support Boccanegra.
After the crowd has dispersed, Fiesco comes out of his
palace, griefstricken: Maria has just died. He swears
vengeance on Boccanegra for destroying his family, and
when he meets Boccanegra does not tell him of Maria’s
death. Boccanegra offers reconciliation, but Fiesco will only
forgive him if Simon agrees to return his granddaughter.
Boccanegra confesses that the child has vanished and her
whereabouts are unknown. Boccanegra enters the house
and discovers Maria’s corpse just before the people pour in
and hail him as the new Doge.
Over the next 25 years the Doge exiles many of his
political opponents and confiscates their property. Among
them is Fiesco. As a result, the patrician has been living
in the Grimaldi palace under the name Andrea Grimaldi,
plotting with other nobles to overthrow Boccanegra. The
Grimaldis’ sons have also been exiled and, with the death
of their baby daughter Amelia, the family has been left with
no heir to their fortune. The Grimaldi family have for this
reason kept the daughter’s death a secret, and substituted
her with an orphaned child of unknown parentage. The
adopted Amelia, now grown into a young woman, is in fact
the daughter of Boccanegra and Maria Fiesco.
Act I
Scene i: A garden in the Grimaldi palace
Amelia sits in the twilight before dawn, awaiting the nightly
visit of her lover. He is Gabriele Adorno, a nobleman whose
father was killed by Boccanegra. She suspects him of
being involved in a political conspiracy against the Doge
and warns him of the possible consequences.
An unexpected visit from the Doge is announced. Amelia
fears that he has come to force her to marry Paolo, now
the Doge’s councillor and favourite, and so urges Adorno
to ask Andrea (in reality Fiesco) for permission to marry her
first. Fiesco tells Adorno of Amelia’s unknown parentage,
then gives the couple his blessing.
Scene ii: Inside the Grimaldi palace
The Doge surprises Amelia by granting a pardon to
her exiled brothers. She confides that she is in love,
but not with the loathed Paolo. When she relates the
circumstances of her adoption, Boccanegra realizes that
she is his long-lost daughter. Boccanegra refuses Paolo
permission to marry Amelia. Enraged, Paolo arranges for
Amelia to be kidnapped.
Scene iii: The Council Chamber
In the senate, the Doge urges his councillors to make
peace with Venice. The sound of a great commotion
interrupts him, and Paolo guesses that his kidnapping
plot must have failed. The Doge stops anyone leaving
the council chamber and orders the doors to be thrown
open to the people. A crowd bursts in after Adorno, who
admits to killing a plebeian. The plebeian claimed that he
kidnapped Amelia at the order of a powerful political figure.
Adorno assumes the guilty man to be Boccanegra.
Amelia rushes in and prevents her lover attacking her
father. She describes her abduction and escape, and just
as she is about to identify the person responsible, fighting
breaks out again. The Doge imposes order, pleads for
peace and makes Adorno a prisoner for the night. Knowing
Paolo to be the guilty party, the Doge puts him in charge of
finding the man behind the kidnapping. He utters a terrible
curse on the criminal and forces everyone, including Paolo,
to repeat it.
INTERMISSION
Act II
The Doge’s private apartments
Paolo has decided to murder Boccanegra. He has lighted
on two possible courses of action. First, he pours a slowacting poison into the water-jug on the Doge’s work-table,
then he tries to incite the imprisoned Fiesco to assassinate
Boccanegra in return for his condemned life. When Fiesco
refuses, Paolo manipulates Adorno into a jealous rage by
suggesting that Amelia is the Doge’s mistress.
When Amelia walks into the Doge’s private chamber a
few moments later, Adorno’s suspicions seem confirmed.
Amelia cannot reassure Adorno without revealing her
secret. He hides as Boccanegra is heard approaching.
Boccanegra is furious when Amelia reveals that her lover
is his sworn enemy Adorno. However, he tells his daughter
that he will consider pardoning the young nobleman, if he
changes his ways.
Boccanegra, alone, drinks the poisoned water and falls
asleep. Adorno is about to stab him, but Amelia returns in
time to stop him. Boccanegra wakes up and explains that
Amelia is his daughter. Astounded, Adorno begs Amelia’s
forgiveness and pledges his life to the Doge.
Sounds of shouting alert them to the start of the rebellion.
Boccanegra tells Adorno to join his comrades, but Adorno
swears allegiance to the Doge. Boccanegra orders him
to confront the warring parties and quell the fighting: if he
succeeds, Amelia will be his reward.
Act III
Inside the Doge’s palace
The uprising has been put down. Paolo has been
condemned to death for fighting with the rebels against the
Doge. Fiesco is released. On his way to the scaffold, Paolo
boasts to Fiesco of having poisoned Boccanegra.
Fiesco confronts Boccanegra, who is now succumbing
to the effects of the poison. Boccanegra recognizes the
voice of his old enemy. He is overjoyed that they can now
be reconciled, and he tells Fiesco of Amelia’s true identity.
Fiesco, overcome with remorse, reveals Paolo’s treachery.
Adorno and Amelia arrive from their wedding to find the
two men finally at peace with one another. Boccanegra
summons the strength to tell Amelia that Fiesco is her
grandfather. As Boccanegra dies, he names Adorno his
successor as Doge.
(Courtesy of Royal Opera House, Covent Garden)