Dutch National Opera presents
VA PENSIERO
Nabucco is a biblical drama in both narrative and scale and was the young Verdi’s breakthrough composition. Perhaps best known for the beautiful chorus of the slaves, this is the first time this beloved opera is being mounted at Dutch National Opera & Ballet.
© Monika Rittershaus; Opernhaus Zürich
Slave chorus
‘Va pensiero’, the slave chorus in which the Israelites lament the loss of their homeland and Babylonian exile, is a song almost everyone knows. In Verdi’s time this was a sentiment to which fellow Italians could relate. To this day, the beloved melody from Nabucco is Italy’s unofficial second national anthem.
Plot of Nabucco
Nabucco tells the story of the persecution of the Jews by the king of Babylon. In a fit of madness, Nabucco commands that he be worshipped as God, and is instantly struck down by lightning. His power-hungry eldest daughter Abigaille seizes the throne. But just when all appears lost, Nabucco regains his sanity.
Verdi’s pioneering style
The prominence of the chorus in Nabucco, spirited rhythms and perfect dramatic timing are all typical of Verdi’s pioneering style.
Team and cast of Nabucco
Having conducted Il trovatore and Il barbiere di Siviglia at DNO, Maurizio Benini returns once more to lead the Residentie Orkest. Andreas Homoki is back for his sixth time at DNO, after directing Carmen (1999), Capriccio (2000), Lulu (2002) and Die Frau ohne Schatten (2008). Nabucco and Zaccaria are formidable baritone and bass roles sung by George Petean and Dmitry Belosselskiy, respectively. Soprano Anna Pirozzi brings her powerful low range and acting talent to the rewarding role of Abigaille. All three are appearing at DNO for the first time.
Leading role for the Chorus of Dutch National Opera
The chorus features prominently in Nabucco and is one of the opera’s main protagonists.
The Chorus of Dutch National Opera pairs unsurpassed vocal quality with a wealth of stage experience. Among its many highlights are Boris Godunov, Les Troyens, Parsifal, Guillaume Tell, Gurre-Lieder, La forza del destino, Das Floss der Medusa and Oedipe. Ching-Lien Wu is the artistic director. The DNO Chorus was named the Best Opera Chorus of 2016 by Opernwelt magazine.
Coproduction: Opernhaus Zürich with Teatro Real, Madrid
Andreas Homoki
DirectorThe German director Andreas Homoki studied at the Hochschule der Künste in Berlin. In 1992 he made his international breakthrough with his directing of Die Frau ohne Schatten in Geneva, which was later also shown in the Paris Théâtre du Châtelet and in Barcelona, and which was awarded with the Prize of French Criticism in 1994.
Maurizio Benini
Musical directorMAURIZIO BENINI (musical director) has been principal conductor with Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Wexford Festival Opera and Teatro Municipal de Santiago de Chile and a regular guest conductor with Teatro di San Carlo in Napels.
Nabucco
'Dramma lirico' in 4 acts
Libretto
Temistocle Solera
World premiere
9 March 1842 Teatro alla Scala Milaan
Team, Cast and Chorus
- Musical Director
- Maurizio Benini
- Stage Director
- Andreas Homoki
- Set Designer
- Wolfgang Gussmann
- Costume Designers
- Wolfgang Gussmann
Susana Mendoza - Lighting Designer
- Franck Evin
- Dramaturgy
- Fabio Dietsche
- Orchestra
- Residentie Orkest
- Chorus
- Koor van De Nationale Opera
- Chorus Master
- Ching-Lien Wu
- Nabucco
- George Petean
- Ismaele
- Freddie De Tommaso
- Zaccaria
- Dmitry Belosselskiy
- Abigaille
- Anna Pirozzi
- Fenena
- Alisa Kolosova
- Il Gran Sacerdote di Belo
- Emanuele Cordaro
- Abdallo
- Lucas van Lierop - Dutch National Opera Studio
- Anna
- Verity Wingate - Dutch National Opera Studio
Orchestra
Residentie Orkest
With a history going back more than 100 years, the Residentie Orkest is one of the Netherlands' great symphony orchestras. Pending the completion of the new cultural centre in The Hague, the orchestra primarily plays at the Zuiderstrandtheater (in Scheveningen), but also at the pop venue Paard and on premier stages in the Netherlands and abroad. The orchestra is led by its young British chief conductor and artistic adviser, Nicholas Collon. Recent DNO productions include: The Gambler, Dialogues des Carmélites, The New Prince and La bohème. In the 2018-2019 season the Residentie Orkest is accompanying Madama Butterfly, and in 2020 Nabucco.
Chorus
Chorus of Dutch National Opera
Dutch National Opera's own chorus consists of 50 singers, regularly augmented with freelance members for large productions. The Chorus has an impressive record with milestones including opera productions of Saint Francois d’Assise, Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, Ercole amante, Boris Godoenov, La Juive, Les Troyens, Eugene Onegin, Parsifal, Guillaume Tell, The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh, Faust, La forza del destino, Das Flos der Medusa, Oedipe and Tannhauser, and concerts of Der fliegende Hollander in Rotterdam, Paris and Dortmund and Daphnis et Chloe with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Valery Gergiev. Under the artistic direction of Ching-Lien Wu since 1 September 2014, in 2016 the authoritative Opernwelt magazine named the DNO Chorus the Best Opera Chorus of the year. In the 2019-2020 season the Chorus is singing in Pagliacci |Cavalleria rusticana, Così fan tutte, La Cenerentola, Nabucco, Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny, Die Frau ohne Schatten, Carmen and Rusalka.
FOYER evening
Musical evening giving an accessible, in-depth explanation of operas and ballets.
NB: In principle, the foyer evenings are given in Dutch, but in practice the high number of international guests means that English is often spoken as well.
IN SHORT
Step into the world of the makers. Sit back with a drink in an informal setting and enjoy an aria or duet, a pas de deux or small ensemble, or an interview with a singer or choreographer. A varied programme, linked to a topical theme, is presented for each production.
ADMISSION
The doors and the bar open at 20.00. The evening begins at 20.30 and lasts around an hour and a quarter. The bar will stay open afterwards.
Regular - € 10
Students - € 7.50
Free for Giving Circle members of Dutch National Opera, Dutch National Ballet and Dutch National Opera & Ballet
Prices are exclusive of booking charges. Tickets for performances can be purchased separately
Tue 29 Jan
Operatoday.com over Homoki - Die Frau Ohne Schatten, 2008
“[…] well… let me just ask, when was the last time you heard a production teamed cheered to the rafters? Really and truly cheered? That it happened here was in response to the creation of a beautifully contemporary and conscientious, not “self-conscious”, work of art by director Andreas Homoki […].”
Thu 14 Feb
Andreas Homoki - Noordhollands Dagblad about Die Frau Ohne Schatten (2008)
‘Director Andreas Homoki perfectly balances fairy tale and realism.’
