Genoa in the middle of the XIV^th century

Prologue
Patricians and plebeians are locked in a power struggle. Paolo and Pietro, leaders of the people’s party, hope to achieve victory by having Simon Boccanegra elected Doge of Genoa. Simon, a former corsair in the service of the Republic, hopes that his election will overcome the opposition of the patrician Jacopo Fiesco to his marriage with his daughter Maria. Simon Boccanegra has seduced Maria and a child has been born of their union. Since then the patrician has kept his daughter locked up in his palace where she has died of grief.

When Fiesco leaves his palace and chances upon Simon, he first demands his daughter’s child. Simon is forced to admit that the child has been abducted. Fiesco is distraught and lets him enter his palace where he discovers Maria’s coffin. Overwhelmed by the cruelty of fate, Simon leaves the palace. Outside the people acclaim the new Doge.

Act 1: 25 years later
In the house of the Grimaldis, patricians exiled for having plotted the downfall of the Doge, Amelia Grimaldi awaits her beloved Gabriele Adorno. Gabriele, having learnt that the Doge wishes to marry Amelia to his friend Paolo Albiani, asks the young girl’s tutor, Andrea, to bless their union. Andrea is none other than Fiesco, who has been hiding for years under a false identity. He is unaware that Amelia is in reality his granddaughter Maria, abducted as a child and adopted by the Grimaldi family.

Simon Boccanegra comes in person to ask for Amelia’s hand for Paolo Albiani and announces to the young girl that the Grimaldis are soon to be restored to favour. Amelia confides that she is not a Grimaldi by birth and shows him a medallion portraying the mother she has never known. The Doge recognises the woman he once loved and realises that Amelia is his daughter. He can no longer impose on her the marriage with Paolo, who in his disappointment swears to be avenged. During peace negotiations between Genoa and Venice, the crowd brings Gabriele and Andrea/Fiesco before the Doge. They announce that Amelia has been abducted. Gabriele accuses Boccanegra of being behind the abduction.

He raises his sword against him, but Amelia reappears, having succeeded in escaping from her abductors. Patricians and plebeians accuse each other of the crime. Boccanegra imposes silence on them all and forces Paolo to curse the culprit. Andrea and Gabriele are taken off to prison.

Act 2:
Paolo, who organised Amelia’s abduction, has cursed himself. Driven by hatred, he pours poison into the Doge’s glass. He frees Andrea/Fiesco and Gabriele and asks them to kill Boccanegra. Gabriele alone agrees to the plot, believing Paolo’s story that Amelia is the Doge’s mistress.

The Doge, weary of the negotiations, drinks the glass containing the poison and becomes drowsy. Gabriele comes out of his hiding place to stab him. But Amelia again intervenes and informs him that she is Boccanegra’s daughter. When a riot fomented by the patricians breaks out, Gabriele fights for the Doge and defends the palace against the assailants.

Act 3:
Genoa celebrates Boccanegra’s victory over the rebels. The Doge pardons most of the plotters. Only Paolo is executed. On his way to the scaffold he confides in Andrea that the Doge has been poisoned and is dying. Fiesco, motivated by vengeance, presents himself to Boccanegra under his real name, but the Doge takes him to Amelia and reveals that she is his granddaughter.

The two men are reconciled but the poison starts to take hold. Boccanegra blesses the marriage of Amelia and Gabriele and, before dying, names the young man as his successor. Jacopo Fiesco announces the death of Simon Boccanegra to the people.