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GIUSEPPE VERDI (1813-1901)

Nabucco

125:56

Dramma lirico in four parts

Libretto by Temistocle Solera after Cortesi's ballet Nabuccodonosor and Anicel-Bourgeios' and Cornu's play Nabuchodonosor

English translation by Norman Tucker and Tom Hammond

1

Overture

7:21

Part I: In Jerusalem

Opening Chorus

2

'The glory of Israel is shattered and broken'

5:23

Hebrews, Levites, Hebrew maidens

Cavatina

3

'Take heart, oh my children!'

1:19

4

'When on the shores of Egypt'

3:30

Zachariah, Chorus

5

'What a tumult'

0:52

Chorus, Ismael, Zachariah

6

'As the shadows before the sunlight'

3:00

Zachariah, Chorus

Recitative and Terzettino

7

'Fenena! Oh, my beloved!'

2:04

Ismael, Fenena

8

'Jehovah falls before us!'

2:08

Abigail, Fenena, Ismael

9

'Once I loved you'

3:39

Abigail, Ismael, Fenena

Chorus

10

'Have you seen him?'

1:36

Hebrew women, Elders, Levites, Soldiers, Zachariah

Part I Finale

11

'Long live Nabucco!'

2:05

Abigail, Chorus, Zachariah, Ismael

12

'Profaner! You shall not enter!'

1:11

Zachariah, Nabucco

13

'Tremble, you madmen'

3:42

Nabucco, Fenena, Anna, Ismael, Zachariah, Hebrews, Levites, Abigail

14

'You slaves, bow down before me!'

0:59

Nabucco, Zachariah, Ismael

15

'Now my wrath, restrained no longer'

2:57

Nabucco, Abigail, Anna, Fenena, Ismael, Zachariah, Hebrews

Part II: The Blasphemy

Scene and Aria

16

'You have betrayed me, O king accursed. . .'

3:47

17

'The sweet fire of love's enchantment'

3:28

Abigail

18

'Who approaches?'

1:16

Abigail, High Priest, Followers

19

'On the golden throne of Assyria'

2:53

Abigail, Followers, High Priest

Prayer

20

'Come, stand beside me'

2:58

21

'Through Thy servant Thou proclaimest Thy commandments'

3:11

Zachariah

Chorus of Levites

22

'Who is there? Who comes to call us'

1:02

23

'Woe to the traitor, he is accursed'

1:42

Levites, Ismael

Part II Finale

24

'Stay your anger, oh my brothers!'

0:25

Anna, Chorus of Levites, Zachariah

25

'But what means this disturbance?'

1:45

Fenena, Ismael, Zachariah, Levites, Abdullah, High Priest, Abigail, Nabucco

26

'The moment approaches of man's retribution'

3:15

Nabuco, Abigail, All

27

'Hear yur king!'

2:52

Nabucco, Fenena, High Priest, Zachariah, Soldiers

28

'Who has stolen my crown and sceptre?'

3:06

Nabucco, Zachariah, Abigail

Part III: The Prophecy

Opening Chorus

29

'Great and mighty Queen of all Assyria'

3:24

Chorus

30

'Most noble lady, mighty ruler of Assyria'

3:10

High Priest, Abigail, Nabucco, Abdullah

Duet

31

'Woman. . . Who are you?'

3:25

Nabucco, Abigail

32

'Grey-haried and feeble, behold me'

3:00

33

'Ah, that sound!'

1:00

34

'Oh, have pity on a father in his madness!'

3:47

Nabucco, Abigail

Chorus of Hebrew Slaves

35

'Speed your journey'

4:40

Hebrews

Part III Finale

36

'Why lament thee? The wailing of women'

0:52

Zachariah

37

'In the darkness I see all the future'

3:10

Zachariah, Chorus

Part IV: The Broken Idol

Prelude, Scene and Aria

38

'Am I awake or dreaming?'

5:10

Nabucco, Chorus

39

'Lord God of Judah!'

3:23

Nabucco

40

'Open to me, you shall not stay me!'

1:00

Nabuco, Abdullah, Soldiers

41

'The false, perfidious enemy'

2:05

Abdullah, Chorus, Nabucco

Funeral March and Prayer

42

'Go! The marty's crown of honour will be yours'

2:39

Zachariah

43

'Lo! The sky has opened above me!'

2:10

Fenena

Part IV Finale

44

'Long live Nabucco!'

2:37

Chorus, High Priest, Nabucco, Anna, Fenena, Ismael, Zachariah, Hebrews

45

'Lord God of Israel. . .'

2:40

46

'My strength. . . is failing. . . my death is near. . .'

3:30

Abigail, Hebrews, Zachariah

Alan Opie baritone - Nabucodonosor (Nabucco)

Leonardo Capalbo tenor - Ismael

Alastair Miles bass - Zachariah

Susan Patterson soprano - Abigail

Jane Irwin mezzo-soprano - Fenena

Dean Robinson bass - High Priest of Baal

Paul Wade tenor - Abdullah

Camilla Roberts soprano - Anna

David Parry

19-22 Septemer 2005 and 13, 14 & 16 July 2006

Alan Opie was everything that he has been for some time now, the finest British Verdi baritone since Peter Glossop.
Alan Opie’s Nabucco is a remarkable achievement…All ears, of course, are on the Abigaille, the one Verdi role that makes Lady Macbeth seem a walk in the park, and Susan Patterson does not disappoint. The voice is powerful from top to bottom and she sings fearlessly, snarling the more vicious moments of the text and caressing the softer ones… the minor roles as just as well performed… Opera North’s Chorus and Orchestra, wonderfully rehearsed by David Parry, are ideal… Very highly recommended.
Her [Susan Patterson] ample voice is evenly produced, however, and sounds comfortable in this famously treacherous role, and she demonstrates the wherewithal to dominate the proceedings when the situation merits. The title role on the other hand, has a number of moments that transcend the blood-and-thunder idiom and point the way to more mature Verdi. Alan Opie makes the most of them in his thoughtful well-nuanced portrayal. He neatly conveys Nabucco’s controlled anger in leading off the concertanto section of the first finale while also demonstrating a find sense of line; similarly he brings keen dramatic sense and compelling phrasing to the mad utterances at the end of Act 2. Alastair Miles imparts a warm cantante style to Zaccaria’s music… The Opera North Chorus is splendid…The Opera North Orchestra responds to David Parry’s rhythmically vital conducting with a crisply delineated performance in which the score’s eruptions unfold within an ordered framework.
The strengths here lie in the secure choral singing and disciplined playing of the Opera North forces and in the conducting of David Parry, who shows a good understanding of how the score should go. The soloists form an effective group.
Reviews from the Opera North performances of Nabucco:
… a fine cast who sang with an impassioned involvement… Alan Opie found the innate humanity buried beneath Nabucco’s aggression.
The performance has plenty of vigour, and I like hearing Nabucco in English, especially given the fairly high level of intelligibility. The singers are all outgoing, committed actors; the chorus (an important ‘character’ in this opera) is full-throated and involved in the drama; and the conductor leads with great energy and genuine feeling for Verdi’s musical lines.
Heading the cast is Alan Opie, perhaps giving his best performance to date on disc. He reveals every facet of the troubled King’s character… Susan Gritton… conveys every bit of the anti-heroine’s scheming and unforgiving character sings pretty much all of her taxing part with firm, full tone, then at the close shows suitable remorse in Act 3 finale… Alastair Miles proves his pre-eminence among British basses today in Verdi: every note of his two solos is sung with strength and a feeling for line, and he is as happy on high as below… David Parry makes the most of Verdi’s early, rudimentary style, conducting the piece for all its, supported finely by the Opera North Orchestra.


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