"Un Ballo in Maschera" by Giuseppe Verdi

Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera" Transplanted to New Orleans

Verismo Opera takes "Un Ballo in Maschera", Giuseppe Verdi lush, musical story of love and revenge, and transplants it to the Big Easy. It's Fat Tuesday and the Governor of Louisiana is throwing a fabulous masked ball at his mansion in the heart of New Orleans. The governor is in love with his best friend's wife, and he unwisely attends the ball only to discover that his life is in danger. Initially blocked by censors who refused to allow a monarch to be killed on stage, Verdi wrote his way out of their requirements by changing the setting to America (originally Boston), which made it more palatable for the audience. This production at The Bay Terrace Theater features a chamber orchestra, and will be performed in Italian with English translations projected above the stage.