Simon Boccanegra

About

This concert version of Giuseppe Verdi's Simon Boccanegra at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées was a Paris tour stop co-produced by the Opéra de Monte-Carlo and Les Grandes Voix. The concertante format focused attention on the vocal and orchestral drama of Verdi’s mature score rather than staging or sets. The performance employed the definitive 1881 revision prepared with Arrigo Boito, sharpening the dramaturgy and deepening the orchestration. Pinchas Steinberg led the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo and the Chœur de l'Opéra de Monte-Carlo, bringing color, tension, and cohesion to the music. A central feature was Ludovic Tézier’s role debut as Simon Boccanegra, supported by Sondra Radvanovsky, Ramón Vargas, Vitalij Kowaljow, and André Heyboer in a high-caliber cast.