Nabucco

Composer: Verdi, Giuseppe

Librettist/Text Author: Solera, Temistocle

Conductor: Oren, Daniel

Orchestra: Arena of Verona Orchestra

Chorus: Arena of Verona Chorus

Chorus Master: Faelli, Marco

Abdallo: Antognetti, Paolo

Abigaille: Branchini, Susanna

Anna: Borin, Elena

Fenena: Surguladze, Nino

Ismaele: Pelizzari, Rubens

Nabucco: Gagnidze, George

Priest of Belo: Ceriani, Nicolo

Zaccaria: Siwek, Rafal

Set Designer: Camera, Alessandro

Costume Designer: Bernard, Arnaud

Lighting Designer: Mazzon, Paolo

Stage Director: Bernard, Arnaud

Television Director: Sommer, Andy

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Date of Production: 08-2017

Venue: Arena di Verona

Playing Time: 02:16:35

Catalogue Number: BAC148

UPC: 3760115301481

Synopsis

Nabucco (NTSC)

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A new production of Verdi's Nabucco at the Arena di Verona, and probably the most exciting lyrical event of the summer 2017.

Verdi's third opera - but first great popular success - was created at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan in 1842, in the epicentre of the Risorgimento and the capital of Italian nationalism, at a time where the supporters of Italian independance from Austrian occupation were starting to make their voices heard. The 'Chorus of the Hebrew slaves', pivotal point in the third act where the Jews, exiled from Babylon by Nabuchodonosor, mourn their country, 'so beautiful and lost', immediately resonated with the Italian nationalists and has ever since been a symbol of Italian national identity.

Boldly transposing the action out of biblical times and into Italian Risorgimento, French director Arnaud Bernard goes as far as to center the entire opera during the popular uprisings of 1848 and in the insides of the Milanese opera house. A clever way to emphasize on the legends that have been building around Verdi's operas and the role they played in the political process of uniting the Italian peninsula, and in the construction of an authentic italianita.

Soprano Susanna Branchini literally steals the stage as Nabuchodonosor's daughter Abigaille (for whom Verdi probably wrote his most challenging score), while Israeli-born conductor Daniel Oren, a true connoisseur of Verdi's musical language as well as a regular guest at the Arena di Verona, conducts with great panache this 'lyrical epic' that holds such a special place in the heart of all Italians.