Un ballo in maschera

"No other tragic Verdi opera has as much lightness, verve and grace, as much esprit as Un ballo in maschera . The (apparent) cheerfulness is a new dimension in Verdi's operas, announced in the first act of Rigoletto . But tragedy, melancholy and closeness to death always resonate and are thus intensified. This juxtaposition and coexistence, the synchronicity of dance and death in the plot and music is what makes the special and unmistakable tinta (musical color) of Un ballo in maschera ." (Georg Titscher)