True lovers of opera know that Verdi’s Ballo in maschera was originally set in Stockholm, at the Court of Gustav III, King of Sweden. That first version was censured for political reasons and Verdi was forced to change names, setting and several passages of the score. But now, on the initiative of Philip Gosset and Ilaria Narici, musicologists of Casa Ricordi, Gustavo III has been reconstructed, thanks, also, to the recent rediscovery of some Verdian manuscripts. Perhaps the most relevant change concerns the famous romance Eri tu of the baritone: the original E sei tu is altogether different and from a fierce and raging aria it becomes a melancholic Swedish song of popular inspiration.

Gustav III is one of the noblest figures of Swedish history and the prospect of staging in a lyrical theatre the magnificence of his court and the sad story of his downfall has always been deep-felt in Sweden. Thanks to the collaboration between the Gothenburg Opera House and Dynamic, here then is one of Verdi’s greatest masterpieces as it was initially conceived; with Macbeth (CDS 194/1-2) and Simon Boccanegra (CDS 268/1-2) it contributes to the rediscovery of the composer’s origianl scores.