Simon Boccanegra occupies a unique place in Verdi’s oeuvre, exemplifying his mastery of dramatic and musical revision. The opera’s original version premiered in Venice in 1857 to mixed reception, with its complex plot and dark, introspective score challenging audiences. Verdi revisited the work over two decades later, collaborating with librettist Arrigo Boito, and presented the revised version at La Scala on 24 March 1881. This version, now the standard in modern performance, marked a turning point in Verdi’s late creative period.