It was his first great success, in a sense, his breakthrough: Nabucco. Premiered at Milan’s Scala in the spring of 1842, this work marks the start of the brilliant career of Giuseppe Verdi, who would become the leading Italian opera composer, going virtually unrivalled for decades. Set in biblical times in Jerusalem and Babylon, Nabucco deals with the fates of two peoples and cultures, but also the arrogance of the protagonist, who with an inflated sense of self-importance declares himself a god, only then to descend into madness. Tableaux with ceremonial gestures and poignant music, such as the famous chorus “Va pensiero” sung by the imprisoned Hebrews, are combined with scenes of intense expression, filled with drama and passion.

Anastasia Bartoli

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May 23, 2026

Nabucco · Staatsoper Berlin

Future and recently performed repertoire

Abigaille in Nabucco by Verdi

Staatsoper Berlin

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