Photo © Catherine Ashmore

Plácido Domingo stars in the title role of Verdi’s opera Simon Boccanegra at the Royal Opera House this month (until 15 July). Domingo has often sung the tenor role of young revolutionary Gabriele Adorno in this opera (including for The Royal Opera in 1997). Now he is tackling the baritone role of political master and former corsair Simon Boccanegra, Doge of Genoa.

The tale addresses both the political intrigues of 14th-century Genoa, with its warring factions, and the personal life of Simon. At the end of the Prologue of the opera, Simon’s beloved Maria has died and their illegitimate daughter has mysteriously disappeared. Twenty-five years later, Simon, who has devoted his life to politics, is reunited with his child.

Domingo played Boccanegra at La Scala, Milan, in April, and will perform it at the Teatro Real in Madrid towards the end of this month. Movingly, Domingo has said that he ‘planned these Boccanegras as, perhaps, my farewell to my favourite opera houses.’

Domingo has enjoyed a spectacular career in which he has tackled nearly all of Verdi’s great tenor roles. His interpretation of the title role of Otello at the Royal Opera House was particularly praised and he has declared the role his favourite.

Domingo’s mature voice has opened up new creative and dramatic avenues for him. In recent years, he has given remarkable interpretations of one of his favourite roles, Siegmund in Wagner’s Die Walküre. He has performed and made a much-lauded recording of the title role in Parsifal, and been universally acclaimed for his recording of Tristan und Isolde, in which he took the role of Tristan, under the direction of Antonio Pappano. His sound is still remarkable, instantly recognizable and extremely beautiful, and he sings with the expertise of a mature artist of exceptional dramatic talent.

Photo © Catherine Ashmore

Where to see Domingo as Simon Boccanegra:

Simon Boccanegra opened at the Royal Opera House on 29 June 2010 and runs for four more performances. The final performance will be on 15 July 2010.

The performance on 13 July will be screened live as part of the BP Summer Big Screens programme, shown on a network of big screens up and down England, for free.

On 18 July, Simon Boccanegra will move to the Royal Albert Hall for a performance as part of the 2010 BBC Proms, broadcast live on Radio 3.

Plácido Domingo will then go to the Teatro Real, Madrid, where he will sing several performances of Simon Boccanegra, with Angela Gheorghiu taking the role of his daughter Amelia and Ferruccio Furlanetto joining him there to reprise the role of Amelia’s grandfather, Jacopo Fiesco.