Nabucco

Nabucco is probably Verdi's first masterpiece, but a masterpiece that seems forgotten. Apart from the beautiful Va Pansiero, there was very little of the opera that I recognised beforehand. This is a shame because while the story is somewhat obsolete perhaps the music is amazing as is always the case with Verdi.

This stage production is fantastic. One or two scenes are a little static in the staging, but you can forgive that when the look of the production, music and singing more than makes up for it. Riccardo Muti conducts the orchestra with great energy and musicality and all the pivotal scenes are performed and sung brilliantly.

The setting itself is truly spectacular and I equally loved the lavish costumes. The singing and performances are first rate, with two especially that stood out. The real standout is Ghena Dimitrova, who is superb in such a demanding role(one that reportedly brought on the downfall of some who tackled it), she has a wondrous voice which she uses effortlessly even in the fiendishly difficult bits and her acting is also so good because while she is the character you hate you do feel sympathy for her at the end. That is not to exclude Renato Bruson who displays a powerful dramatic ability and a rich velvety voice to boot, altogether an equally outstanding titular performance.

All in all, fantastic production. 9/10 Bethany Cox