


Nabucco
Story & Setting:
Nabucco was written with a nationalist flare, connecting Verdi's countrymen to the concepts of liberty and self-sustainability, as demonstrated in the musical number "Va, pensiero."
Opera Notes:
Verdi’s third opera, Nabucco was an immediate success, and catapulted the composer into fame. The music, particularly the moving “Va, pensiero” chorus of Hebrew slaves yearning for their homeland, stirred up patriotic fervor with the concepts of liberty and self-sustainability. Verdi and his music are often associated with Italian nationalism and the unification of the country during the Risorgimento period.
Sung in
Italian
Length:
2 hours & 45 mins
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)
Watch/Listen
"Va pensiero" (Met Opera Chorus)
Met Opera (current production)
"Donna, chi sei?" (Grace Bumbry & Renato Bruson)
The Metropolitan Opera Centennial Gala, 1983