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Giuseppe Verdi was an ardent admirer of William Shakespeare, therefore it is no surprise that he chose the playwright's works as the basis for three of his operas. In Macbeth he recognised how much potential the story of the corrupting force of power offered, and Piave’s libretto consistently respected the play’s story line. Following its premiere on 14th March 1847 at the Teatro alla Pergola in Florence, Macbeth set out on its triumphal journey across Europe. And it was staged in the original form until 1865, when Verdi substantially revised it for the performance in Paris. Act I begins in Scotland in the 11th Century. The Scottish Army leader, Macbeth, and his friend Banquo arrive in the woods where they meet a group of witches who can prophesise the future. They call Macbeth the Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland, neither title he currently holds. The witches also tell Banquo that he will be the father of kings. Intrigued by their cryptic words, Macbeth attempts to get more information but the witches disappear. Messengers find Macbeth and inform him that Duncan, the present King of Scotland, has made him Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth and Banquo are shocked, realising that the witches’ prediction has come true.
Lady Macbeth, at Macbeth’s castle, reads a letter from her husband explaining these events and his promotion. Her ambitions are stirred and she decides to do whatever she can to help her husband become King. She plots to kill Duncan, who is coming to stay at their castle, that very night.
When the king and his court arrive at the castle, Lady Macbeth urges Macbeth to kill Duncan, despite Macbeth receiving terrifying visions of a dagger. Pushed by his wife, Macbeth ignores the warning visions and kills Duncan.
Banquo and Macduff find King Duncan dead in the morning and seek to find the traitor. To cover their crime, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth join in with the search for the murderer and lament the death of the king.
Act II
Duncan’s son, Malcolm, is accused of murdering his father and has left the country, allowing Macbeth to become king. Now that the witches’ prophecy has become true, Macbeth is worried that the second prediction of Banquo fathering kings will also come true. To ensure his position on the throne, Macbeth plots to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance, at a banquet they are attending. Macbeth has enlisted the help of a small team of assassins to help him murder Banquo and they wait in the woods. When Banquo and Fleance are walking through the woods, the assassins successfully kill Banquo but Fleance manages to escape.
Back at Macbeth’s castle, he and Lady Macbeth are greeting their guests as they arrive in the dining hall. The assassins report the successful killing of Banquo which relieves Macbeth until he sees the ghost of his friend sitting at the head of the dining table. Horrified by the presence, Macbeth begins to frantically rant at the spirit, frightening his guests. Lady Macbeth does her best to calm down her husband and reassure the guests but the guilt of murdering Duncan and Banquo rests heavily on Macbeth’s mind and he rushes into the woods in search of the witches.
Act III
Macbeth finds the witches gathered around a smoky cauldron in a cave. He demands that they tell him what is happening. The witches conjure up three visions: the first warning him of Macduff; the second informing him he shall not die by the hand of one ‘borne by a woman’; and the last revealing that he will not be defeated until Birnam Wood rises against him. Macbeth also receives a vision of Banquo and his line of descendants that are all destined to become king. His attempt to attack them is futile and, overwhelmed by what he has seen, collapses.
Lady Macbeth finds her husband resting on the heath near their castle. He tells her what the witches showed him and they resolve that the only way to save Macbeth and the throne is to kill Macduff’s family and Banquo’s son, Fleance.
Act IV
At the border between England and Scotland, Macduff and Duncan’s exiled son, Malcolm, meet. Macduff’s family has been killed and Malcolm has gathered English troops to help overthrow Macbeth. Between England and Scotland is a part of land known as Birnam Wood; Malcolm orders his troops to cut down the trees and use the trunks as battering rams as they storm Macbeth’s castle.
At the castle, Lady Macbeth is suffering from haunting nightmares of the murders she has helped her husband commit. She is spotted sleepwalking by her servants and doctors trying to wash her hands of imaginary blood that can never be cleaned.
Macbeth learns of Lady Macbeth’s death as Macduff and Malcolm’s troops begin storming the castle. He seems at ease at the events until he is told that the trunks are from Birnam Wood. Terrified by this news, he orders his own troops to fight against the English. Macbeth is confronted by Macduff and Macbeth remarks that he cannot be killed by someone ‘borne of woman’. To Macbeth’s horror, Macduff reveals he was born via caesarean and therefore was not born naturally from his mother. Realising that all the visions have come true, Macbeth is killed by Macduff, and Malcolm assumes his rightful place as King of Scotland. | 
