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Verdi Opera Nabucco

Classical Music / Opera Datebook: March 9

Giuseppe Verdi's Opera Nabucco Premieres


Nabucco (English Nebuchadnezzar), is an Italian opera in four acts composed by Giuseppe Verdi in 1841 to an Italian libretto by Temistocle Solera.  It is based on Biblical stories from the Books of Jeremiah and Daniel. Under its original name of Nabucodonosor, the opera was first performed at La Scala in Milan on 9 March 1842.

The opera Nabucco is considered to have permanently established Verdi's reputation as a composer. He commented that "this is the opera with which my artistic career really begins. And though I had many difficulties to fight against, it is certain that Nabucco was born under a lucky star."

APOLOGY:  This video is not available for embedding. It contains content from nikitaventures music, who has blocked it from display on this website or application.  Watch it on YouTube

 

The story follows the plight of the Jews as they were conquered and subsequently exiled from their homeland by the Babylonian King Nabucco (in English: Nebuchadnessar II). The opera used historical events for a romantic and political plot.  The best-known and  popular music from the opera is the "Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves", "Va, pensiero, sull'ali dorate / "Fly, thought, on golden wings", a chorus which is regularly given an encore in many performances.



Video Credits: 

Giuseppe Verdi: Nabucco - The story of a King who proclaiming himself God (2007). From the Roman quarry in St. Margarethen, Austria Giuseppe Verdi's most known Opera with a staging of epic proportions.  YouTube, uploaded by EuroArtsChannel. Accessed April 20, 2023.

Opera: Nabucco/Verdi- Va, pensiero. Riccardo Muti/Bis- Roma 2011 (It/En/Fr Lyrics). Youtube, uploaded by Claude Le-Quang. Accessed November 24, 2020.  (Apology. This video is no longer available. Tel/April 20, 2023)



Resources:

Budden, Julian (1973),  The Operas of Verdi, Volume 1. London: Cassell Ltd, 1973.
Martin, Nicholas Ivor (1997), The Da Capo Opera Manual. New York: Da Capo Press, 1997.


(c) April 2016. Updated April 20, 2023. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.

2 comments:

  1. Interesting blog, it reminds me of Giuseppe Verdi, one of his most successful opera is La Traviata, which means “the fallen woman” or “the one who goes astray” and in context it connotes the loss of sexual innocence.
    I tried to write a blog about it, hope you also like it https://stenote.blogspot.com/2019/06/an-interview-with-giuseppe.html.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Stenote. I enjoyed reading your blog, interestingly titled too: "An interview with Giuseppe."

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