Verdi's Italian language opera Simon Boccanegra centers on the title character, who at the play's start, has an illegitimate daughter with his lover who is dying in prison. The next act takes place 25 years later, after he has been serving as doge of Genoa, long separated from his daughter who has been adopted by a wealthy family. The long-lost father and daughter reunite at long last but as the situation is tangled by political motivations, a conflict arises between her lover and betrothed. This familial-politico tragedy is considered one of Verdi's best, albeit lesser known, works. The powerful operatic score buttresses the intricate dramatic story of treachery, love, rebellion and loss. Though it first premiered in 1857, the opera is still as relevant as ever in the 21st century.
