Verdi's 'Simon Boccanegra' was based on the play of the same name by Antonio Gutierrez - the author also of 'Il Trovatore'. It was adapted into a libretto by Francesco Piave and Giuseppe Montanelli but this resulted in an almostincomprehensible plot. Verdi set about a substantial revision of the text with Arrigo Boito and it is this version which stands today. This edition contains the original Italian text plus an English version by Mary Ellis Peltz.
