Domingo switches voices mid-career and somehow makes opera history even MORE dramatic.
When this sumptuous production by Giancarlo del Monaco opened in 1995, legendary tenor Plácido Domingo gave a riveting performance as the fiery revolutionary Gabriele Adorno, a tenor part. In the 2010 revival, he made history by taking on the baritone title role, one of Verdi’s most fascinating characters, and thrilling audiences with his multifaceted and gripping portrayal. Boccanegra is beset on all sides, juggling political adversaries bent on murder with his love for his long-lost daughter Amelia (Adrianne Pieczonka). James Levine’s conducting brings out all the color and surging emotion of Verdi’s magnificent score.
Acting
Domingo's baritone gamble pays off — genuinely transformative.
Direction
Del Monaco's Renaissance Venice is gorgeous political theater.
Score
Levine conducts Verdi like he's personally arguing with God.
Director
Giancarlo Del Monaco
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Domingo spent years retraining his voice for this baritone debut at age 69, making him one of the few tenors in history to successfully transition to major baritone roles this late in career.
Verdi rewrote this opera twice over 24 years, obsessed with getting Boccanegra's death scene right — the 1881 revision is what you'll hear here, and it's basically opera's greatest father-daughter goodbye.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
US
