Un Ballo in Maschera a Masked Ball Page 1 of 2 Opera Assn
San Francisco War Memorial 1940 Un Ballo in Maschera A Masked Ball Page 1 of 2 Opera Assn. Opera House
Un Ballo in Maschera (in Italian)
Opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi Libretto by Antonio Somma
Conductor CAST Gennaro Papi Riccardo, Count of Warwick and Governor of Boston Jussi Bjoerling Stage director Renato, his secretary and friend Richard Bonelli Armando Agnini Amelia, wife of Renato Elisabeth Rethberg Chorus Master Ulrica, a fortune-teller Suzanne Sten William Tyroler Oscar, a page Margit Bokor Incidental Dances by Sam, enemy of the Count Lorenzo Alvary Willam Christensen Tom, enemy of the Count Robert Sellon A Judge Paul Walti Silvano George Cehanovsky A Servant Roy Garden
*Role debut †U.S. opera debut PLACE AND TIME: End of 17th Century, Colonial Boston
Wednesday, October 23 1940, at 8:00 PM Act I, Scene 1 -- A Hall in the Governor's Mansion Scene 2 -- The Hut of Ulrica Act II -- A Lonely Field near Boston Act III, Scene 1 -- A Room in Renato's Dwelling Scene 2 -- The Governor's Private Office Scene 3 -- Terrace of the Governor's Mansion San Francisco War Memorial 1940 Un Ballo in Maschera A Masked Ball Page 2 of 2 Opera Assn. Opera House
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Notes: Program note: "Un Ballo in Maschera" was written shortly after the attempt on the life of Napoleon III. First called "Gustavo III," after an assassinated Swedish monarch, it carried in its plot a similar murder and its intended presentation in Naples was prohibited. Later it was given in Rome but, in order to meet police requirements, with locale changed to Colonial America and Gustavo III to Richard "Count" of Warwick and "Governor" of Boston.
Corps de Ballet
Jussi Bjoerling's Act III aria:
Arthur Bloomfield in his book "San Francisco Opera, 1923-1978" stipulates Bjoerling sang the third act aria he later cut at the Met and elsewhere. The only proof of this being true is the review of a Los Angeles performance, which indeed mentions the aria. The printed program lists that particular scene, a scene consisting of his aria and a brief exchange with Oscar, which would seem to indicate that it did take place. No orchestra scores from that time exist, so the fact can not be verified in that fashion. All indications are that he DID sing it at the War Memorial and with the Company on tour.