![]() |
Un Ballo in MascheraOpera in Three Acts World Premiere: Rome, Teatro Apollo, February 17, 1859 U.S. Premiere: New York, Academy of Music, February 11, 1861 Metropolitan Opera Premiere: December 11, 1889 (in German) |
![]() |
Cast & Characters
The Cast
Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda
Amelia: Michele Crider
Oscar: Ofelia Sala
Ulrica: Stephanie Blythe
Riccardo: Salvatore Licitra
Renato: Dmitri Hvorostovsky
The Characters
Amelia (soprano) - Renato's wife. Amelia is torn between her duty
to her husband and her love for his best friend, Riccardo. She consults Ulrica
to find out how to rid herself of her illicit passion.
Ulrica (contralto) - A sorceress who reads palms. She advises Amelia
how to suppress her forbidden love for Riccardo, and predicts Riccardo's assassination.
Oscar (soprano) - Riccardp's page. A cheeky youth, he does various
errands and carries messages for the King.
Samuel (Counts de Horn) (bass) - Conspires with Tom and Renato to
kill Roccardo. He charges that Riccardo murdered his brother.
Tom (Ribbing) (bass) - Conspires with Samuel and Renato to kill
Riccardo. He alleges that Riccardo illegally confiscated his family's home.
Renato (Anckarström) (baritone) - Riccardo's secretary and
trusted friend. He is loyal to Riccardo and warns him of a plot to assassinate
him, until he discovers that Riccardo is in love with his wife Amelia. He
joins Samuel and Tom in conspiring to murder Riccardo.
Riccardo (King Gustav III) (tenor)- King of Sweden. A jovial, benevolent
ruler, Riccardo is in love with his best friend's wife, but does not want
to besmirch her or her husband's honor. He laughs off various warnings of
an assassination attempt, including a prophecy from the sorceress Ulrica.

