Did you know that Verdi's opera Un ballo in maschera was inspired by a regicide? In 1792, King Gustav III of Sweden was assassinated during a masked ball in Stockholm. An enlightened monarch, he fell victim to a plot by nobles who were hostile to his liberal reforms and refused to give up certain privileges.
When Verdi decided to use this plot for a commission from the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, the Neapolitan censors struck. In the mid-19th century, political instability was rife. Ferdinand II, King of Naples, had been the victim of an assassination attempt.
Discover all the secrets of Giuseppe Verdi's Un ballo in maschera in this episode of À l'affiche, new format!