San Francisco War Memorial 1937 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, Governor of Boston Giovanni Martinelli Stage director Renato, his secretary and friend Richard Bonelli Armando Agnini Amelia, wife of Renato Gina Cigna Chorus Master Ulrica, a negress fortune-teller Bruna Castagna William Tyroler Oscar, a page Charlotte Boerner Choreography by Samuel, enemy of the Count Norman Cordon Serge Oukrainsky Tom, enemy of the Count Emanuel List A Judge Ludovico Oliviero Silvano George Cehanovsky *Role debut †U.S. opera debut PLACE AND TIME: End of the 17th century; Colonial Boston Wednesday, October 20 1937, 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 1937 Un Ballo in Maschera A Masked Ball Page 2 of 2 Opera Assn. Opera House Sponsors: 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..