Act I

Notes

The opera moves backward in time, so the opening is Galileo in blindness and isolation, and the closing shows him as a child inspired by his father’s music.

Many roles are doubled or tripled in performance. For instance, the same singer may portray Cardinal Barberini and Pope Urban VIII, or multiple ages of Galileo may be cast with related voice types.

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number.