Opera Company of Philadelphia opens its season with a terrific work just a few years younger than the Academy of Music: Verdi's 1859 Un ballo in maschera (A Masked Ball), led by music director Corrado Rovaris. Censorship forced Verdi to relocate the story of an assassination sparked by a love triangle from the Swedish court to colonial Boston. Romance, betrayal, humor, mystery, vengeance -- Ballo has everything one could ask of an opera plot, set to a progression of one great melody after another; possibly Verdi's richest score, it certainly features his most passionate Love Duet.

The promising cast features five major American singers, three company favorites and two newcomers. The soaring-voiced soprano Angela Brown, whose Met debut last year made the New York Times front page, plays Amelia, torn between two best friends: her husband Renato (the always stirring baritone Gregg Baker, pictured) and Riccardo, tenor Marcus Haddock (who's risen to stardom in Europe). Amelia's adviser, the fortune-teller Ulrica -- a short but potent part that opened the Met's portals to Marian Anderson 50 years ago -- goes to Camden resident Barbara Dever. Riccardo's page Oscar, who gives everyone a lot of lip and has yards of coloratura to sing, showcases the local bow of the fast-rising young soprano Sarah Coburn. As crowds in 19th-century Italy used to yell, "Viva Verdi!"

Un ballo in maschera, Oct. 23-Nov. 6, $5-$111, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Academy of Music, Broad and Locust sts., 215-893-1999, www.operaphilly.com.