The Opera Tarot – Ten of Wands

I’m working this week on the small book that will accompany Linda Sutton’s magnificent Opera Tarot paintings, which will be published privately to ensure the very best quality reproductions. Here is her image for the Ten of Wands, which often signifies being weighed down by burdens and responsibilities.

Knowing the story of the opera the image is taken from – Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra – illuminates our understanding of the card’s meaning:

10 of WANDS from The Opera Tarot, Linda Sutton

Simon Boccanegra, an heroic corsair in the service of the Republic of Genoa, is chosen by the people, as their Doge. He accepts this high and responsible office in the hope that he will at last be united with his beloved Maria. Her aristocratic father, Fiesco, is keeping her from him as Boccanegra is a commoner. Fiesco promises reconciliation if given his grand-daughter, the child of Maria and Boccanegra. Boccanegra explains that the child was put in the charge of a nurse, but has since vanished. He enters Fiesco’s palace to discover that Maria is dead. Twenty-­five years later, Boccanegra is reunited with Amelia, their daughter, before dying from poisoning.

Linda’s painting shows Placido Domingo as the Doge, heartbroken by the death of his love and the loss of his daughter, while burdened by his office and the rivalry of Genoa with the Republic of Venice.

The Tarot will be published in October and launched at the UK Tarot Conference on October 15th. There’s a great programme lined up – with Caitlin Matthews, Steve Hounsome on Tarot Therapy, the launch of the English Magic Tarot, and much more including a mini-workshop I will give entitled It’s Always Such a Drama – How life is sometimes like an Opera. Peek at the full programme here!