Nabucco

Nabucco, the King of Babylon, has subjugated the Israelites and destroyed their temple. His daughter Fenena loves one of the enslaved Hebrews, while the second daughter Abigaille hates the Israelites. In the ecstasy of victory, Nabucco declares himself to be God, and promptly loses his senses. When Abigaille learns that she herself is the daughter of a slave, a deadly power struggle is set in motion. First performed at La Scala in Milan in 1842, Nabucco relates an Old Testament story dealing with freedom, identity, hubris and belief. Verdi’s third work for the operatic stage is one of the most popular of all Italian operas, not just because of the Choir of Hebrew Slaves (Va’ pensiero, sull’ali dorate), but also due to its gripping plot and powerful melodies. Director David Bösch places a ramshackle residential block at the centre of his production to represent the besieged Jerusalem and the Tower of Babel.