Verdi's Operas: Nabucco

As I wrote in my November 26, 2020 post, I like to use this blog as a record of year-long “projects,” often beginning on the first Sunday of Advent. A composer about whom I’ve always felt curious is Verdi. When I began in parish ministry in the early 1980s, in a very rural area of southeastern Illinois, I liked to listen to classical music and opera at my lonesome little parsonage. Anytime I listen to an opera, something in me connects back to that time when I was starting out in ministry. 

So, I decided to purchase the 2013 75-CD set of Verdi’s operas (and additional music), which I’ll listen to during the upcoming year. For reference, I’ll study Charles Osborne, The Complete Operas of Verdi (New York: Knopf, 1979). 

Little Taako’s death (see previous post) sparked in me a time of depression. I had trouble keeping motivated this past spring semester. I feel better now and am catching up on some things, like this blog. I haven’t posted about Verdi since January 20th. But I’ve still listened to his operas right along. 

Verdi’s third opera, Nabucco, premiered under its original title, Nabucodonosar, at La Scalia on March 9, 1842. Its plot concerned the exile of the Judahites under the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II. "Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves", “Va, pensiero, sull’ali dorate” ("Fly, thought, on golden wings") is a popular operatic encore. Verdi’s third opera, it established Verdi’s reputation as a popular and important opera composer. As Charles Osborne writes, it is perhaps not as satisfactory among Verdi’s early operas as Macbeth, but it is his earliest to remain in the repertoire. 

This set is performed by the Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper, conducted by Lamberto Gardelli. Tito Gobbi is Nabucco. Abigaille is Elena Souliotis, a Greek soprano, for whom this role was one of her best known. The peak of her career lasted only about ten years. She certainly had a thrilling voice!