"Simon Boccanegra is a highly unusual opera, I would even say it stands out from many of Verdi's works. This opera has undergone extensive revisions and modifications, including changes in librettists and significant musical interventions by the composer himself, calling for a meticulous analysis. The story is exceptionally complex, with only half a minute passing between the prologue and the first act on stage, while the libretto spans twenty-five years. Simon Boccanegra is torn between his troubled past as a former pirate, a tragic and unfulfilled love, a lost and then found child, and his noble vision of peace, unity, and harmony (where Verdi, of course, metaphorically depicts the 14th century as the 19th century and the Risorgimento, of which he was a fervent supporter). Within this abundance of narrative, sufficient for an entire novel, Verdi beautifully weaves his musical tapestry. Physical actions are scarce, but demanding tasks are placed upon the performers to interweave the deepest emotions and subtle expressions. From the conflict between love and duty, the melodramatic recognition of long-separated father and daughter, to betrayals, murder, conflicts between patricians and commoners, political intrigues, discord, and conspiracies. Yet, all of this is, in a strange way, merely incidental, as Verdi introduces the motif of the sea in almost every scene. It is the endless sea that Simon Boccanegra's soul longs for."

• Krešimir Dolenčić, Director