Giuseppe Verdi created one of the most impressive baritone roles for Simon Boccanegra. Through the lips of the historical figure of the first Doge of Genoa, Verdi was able to express his own political thinking and ideals for a united Italy, far from fratricidal wars.
The opera was written in 1857 and Verdi reworked it in 1881 by adding some masterly scenes, based on Petrarch's letters: one addressed to the historical figure of Boccanegra and another to the then Doge of Venice. Nowadays, Simon Boccanegra counts among Verdi's most popular operas.
In the magnificent impressive production of the Royal Opera House, Moshinsky attempts an historical direction inspired by the art and architecture of Renaissance. The leitmotifs in his direction are constantly recurring images of the sea, encapsulating a reference to mortality.