In September 2008 the Neapolitan stage and screen director, Mario Martone, changed the setting of this opera from the late 17th to the 19th century. He believed that Verdi’s story of passion and political rivalry was better suited to the composer’s own era. In this opera, Verdi breaks free from the strict forms of arias and duets, creating larger ensembles with a more fluid and wide-ranging musical discourse. At the same time, he skilfully uses the conventional forms and styles which were the legacy of French comic opera (the character of Oscar) and of grand opera, connecting them to the tradition of Italian opera.

Verdi’s enormous talent for creating well-rounded characters, his keen sense of drama and endless musical inspiration are all on display in this work, in which he skilfully balances drama and comedy, large ensembles and intimate moments, the bustle of the court and the inner dramas of the protagonists. Loyalty, treachery and passion are the three fundamental elements of Un ballo in maschera. Each one has its own theme which we hear in the overture. Passion, however, is the over-riding sentiment of the dramatic final scenes.

Gabrielle D’Annunzio said that Un ballo in maschera was “the most melodramatic of all operas”.