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NabuccoNabucco
Opera

Nabucco

Giuseppe Verdi

A Biblical epic about power, love, religion and freedom

The State Opera
Historical topic
English surtitles
German surtitles

Basic information

Venue

The State Opera

Approximate running time

2 hours 35 minutes, 1 intermission (20 minutes) minutes

Language

In Italian, surtitles in Czech, English

Premiere

June 27, 2018

The production was staged by the celebrated Argentinean tenor José Cura.

Verdi’s third opera, Nabucco, treating the Old Testament story of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, is one of the most frequently performed operas worldwide. The story, more than a thousand years old, depicts a religiously motivated war and a nation’s expulsion from its home – and it is set in the Middle East, the most turbulent region there is. Has anything changed over the past one and a half millennia?

Cast

  • 2023-2024
  • 2024-2025

Creatives

Musical preparation
Andreas Sebastian Weiser
Costumes and co-stage designer
Silvia Collazuol
Chorus master
Adolf Melichar
Direction, Set and Lighting design
José Cura
Assistant light designer
Pavel Dautovský

About

The State Opera Chorus and Orchestra

The premiere of Nabucco, on 9 March 1842 at La Scala in Milan, was such a triumph that it opened up for Guiseppe Verdi, 28 years of age at the time, the path to global fame. The opera marked the onset of the composer’s new style. While still reflecting the respective influences of Donizetti, Bellini and Rossini, the purely virtuoso passages quintessential for the bel canto era gave way to arias and ensembles fully aimed at enhancing the tension and momentum, in order to boost the dramatic realism and plausibility. The change in the compositional style also required transformation of the style of singing, in terms of vocal and dramatic performance alike, with the singers having to be both vocally universal and talented as actors. Nabucco includes one of the most challenging soprano parts (Abigaille) and perhaps the best-known opera scene of all, “Va, pensiero, sull'ali dorate” (Fly, thought, on golden wings), an iconic hymn to freedom. In Verdi’s time the chorus would become a symbol of the Italians’ resistance to Austria’s supremacy, and it would even serve as a political appeal in modern times.

Nabucco was first presented in the Czech lands, in German translation, on 5 March 1849 at the Estates Theatre in Prague. The current production was staged by the celebrated Argentinean tenor José Cura, with whom the State Opera company had previously collaborated, in the autumn of 2001 during a tour of Japan with the production of Verdi’s Aida (José Cura portrayed the role of Radamès) and in January 2015, when he appeared at the State Opera in a performance of Verdi’s Otello (in the lead role).

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Practical information

Where to buy tickets

The National Theatre sells tickets up to 6 months in advance. We are currently selling tickets for performances of Drama, Ballet, Opera and Laterna magika taking place in March-August 2024.


When purchasing online, you can get an e-ticket. You can pick up printed tickets in person at the box offices of the National Theatre.

What to wear?

By their appearance, attire and behaviour, the audience is obliged to adhere to the accustomed practice expected from them when attending a theatre performance.

Parking at the State opera

While visiting the State Opera, you can take the slip road on Wilsonova street from the left lane close to the State Opera building to the Parking Centrum above-ground garage. The parking fee is 40 CZK/h.

Buffets at the State Opera

No waiting. For your benefit, please pre-order your food and beverages at the bar to minimize waiting in the queue!

Menu (PDF, 60 kB)