Nabucco

Opera
2025

Giuseppe Verdi

About

«Va, pensiero, sull'ali dorate» (Fly, my thoughts, on wings of gold) will be heard again among the thousand-year-old stones of the Arena, in a new production of Giuseppe Verdi's first masterpiece by Stefano Poda opening the 102 Arena di Verona Opera Festival with a double date.

Location

Arena di Verona

Director

Stefano Poda

Language

Italian

Show type

Opera

Libretto

Temistocle Solera

Subtitles

English

Music

Giuseppe Verdi

Duration

Approx. 3 h 6 min, including 1 interval

Please note

In case of cancellation of the show on the 14th June, "Nabucco" will be performed on June 15th 2025 instead.

Upcoming Shows

Plot ACT I - Jerusalem

Nabucco, King of Babylon, has laid siege to the city of Jerusalem. Zaccariah, the High Priest, encourages the Hebrew people to take refuge in Salomon’s temple and assures them that it is still possible to negotiate for peace since the enemy’s daughter, Fenena, has been captured. Zaccariah assigns her to Ismael, nephew of Jerusalem’s king.

What the High Priest does not know, however, is that Fenena and Ismael have known each other for some time and are in love. Ismael had been Ambassador to Babylon and Fenena had saved him. In the same way, now, the young man is trying to free his beloved, but she is blocked by a group of Babylonian warriors dressed up as Hebrews and led by Abigail, Nabucco’s other daughter, a woman set on deception and with a lust for power. She, too, loves Ismael, but love for her is, above all, a political question, something to be used in exchange for her love. 

She accuses the young man of betrayal and reminds him that she has already offered him the kingdom of Babylon in exchange for his love. Notwithstanding, she is willing to renounce her revenge if Ismael leaves Fenena. He refuses saying he does not fear death but asks only for mercy on his people. In the meantime, there is mayhem outside. Other Hebrews have taken refuge in the temple and when Nabucco raids it, Zaccariah makes an extreme attempt to save his people: he threatens to kill Fenena but Ismael blocks him and hands the young girl over to her father. At this, Nabucco gives orders to destroy the temple.

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