No nineteenth-century composer succeeds better than Giuseppe Verdi in inextricably linking political-social aspects with personal conflicts. At De Nationale Opera in Amsterdam, Andreas Homoki understood that perfectly. In his production of Nabucco, the director starts from the very personal theme of the father-daughter relationship, the Verdi given par excellence. He weaves the social aspect seamlessly around it into an entangled whole that he shapes soberly and efficiently.
In the story of Nabucco, the oppression of the Jews by the Babylonian ruler is central. Through the combination with a love story, the political opposition becomes even sharper: the lovers Ismaele - a Hebrew - and Fenena - Babylonian and even daughter of the ruler Nabucco - belong to hostile camps. Their love is moreover thwarted by the jealousy of Abigaille, a slave who poses as another daughter of Nabucco and claims power. Plenty of material, then, for a piece in which political and personal aspects can be woven into a gripping story and in which Verdi's psychological approach to people and individual in this early opera reaches a first musical climax.
Father figure and superior ruler
After the red theatre curtain rises, Homoki immediately shows us during the overture that the essence of the opera for him lies in the relationship between Nabucco and his daughters. Nabucco cherishes two little girls, dressed in the same green dresses as the elegant crinoline dresses of the chorus ladies. It immediately creates a visually beautiful scene. That father from the opening image is, incidentally, reminded throughout the performance whenever Nabucco becomes aware of his role as a father.
After the overture, the entire performance takes place on a green plain with a dominant, gigantic monolith in veined green marble. It spans almost the entire width of the stage and can be rotated in many ways, depending on the dynamics of the story. In the beautiful opening chorus of the Jews, for example, the block divides the men from the women as the men urge the women to direct their prayer to heaven. It is a sober procedure. And although the continuous use of the same decorative element risks having a monotonous effect, it is used so cleverly in the action that it is meaningful. By having her appear peering from behind the wall, the intrigue of the jealous and perverse Abigaille is emphasized with it, for example. It can isolate characters in their loneliness and pride, by having them appear alone in front of the monumental block. Like the superior Nabucco who proclaims himself a god. Homoki miraculously succeeds in continuously giving meaning to the simple decorative image for the detailing of the relationships between characters.
Chorus and costumes
The costumes also have their meaning in that context. Homoki plays the nineteenth-century card and opts for costumes from Verdi's period. According to the groups that face each other, the Jews are dressed in simple civilian clothing, as the "underdogs". The color is monochrome beige, a soft color in contrast to the bright green of the occupier. As a group, they could come straight out of Bertolucci's film Novecento. The Babylonians wear aristocratic clothing as oppressors. The choice naturally fits the theme of Italy's liberation from Austrian rule. The idea of liberation of an oppressed nation or ethnic group is from then on found in various shades in many of Verdi's operas, to the end of his career. In the second part of the performance, it is clear that this early opera does not yet have the convincing dramatic power that characterizes later operas such as Simon Boccanegra or Don Carlos.
We can hardly overestimate the significance of the chorus fragment Va pensiero. Verdi composed Nabucco in a burst of enthusiasm, after a period of depression. The text of this chorus fragment literally gave him wings to continue composing. It represents liberation from his depression that prevented him from being creative. At the same time, it fits his risorgimento commitment: the liberation of oppressed Italy. With that, it is immediately clear that the chorus in this opera is actually the most important character. The chorus of De Nationale Opera was indeed magnificent, both the representatives of the Jews and the Babylonians.
Fire and passion
The other characters also received sharp interpretations. The production illustrates that Nabucco not only sets the stage for Verdi's political operas, but also for character analysis. Alisa Kolosova delivers an affectionate Fenena, who comes across tenderly in the painful conflict with her father Nabucco, whom she betrays through her love. She sings her role with a light and colorful voice. As a character, she is of course overshadowed in the opera by the ruthless and proud Abigaille, a beautiful female character that we can place in Verdi's oeuvre in the line of the later Azucena, Lady Macbeth, Eboli and Amneris. It is a pity that Anna Pirozzi did not quite keep her passion under vocal control and frequently sounded shrill. However, she acted with fire and passion. Ismaele received a somewhat inconspicuous, but beautifully sung interpretation by Freddie De Tommaso. George Petean gave the ruler Nabucco, blinded by power, a convincing form, both in his authority and in his despair. And Dmitry Belosselskiy sang Zaccaria with empathic deep warm bass.
Maurizio Benini proved himself a convinced Verdi advocate. He succeeded in making the Residentie Orkest play with both energetic momentum and hushed refinement, for example in the sublime Va Pensiero. He also gave precise instructions to the singers on stage. At the end, he also specially requested applause from the podium for soloists from the orchestra such as flute and piccolo, clarinet, oboe and trumpet.
A performance that in a visually beautiful and correct manner gave an integral interpretation to an early masterwork by Giuseppe Verdi and was rightly applauded.
- WHAT: Nabucco | Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)
- DIRECTION: Andreas Homoki
- VOICES: George Petean, Alisa Kolosova, Anna Pirozzi, Freddie De Tommaso, Dmitry Belosselskiy
- ORCHESTRA: Residentie Orkest and Choir of De Nationale Opera conducted by Maurizio Benini
- WHERE: De Nationale Opera, Amsterdam
- WHEN: Sunday 2 February 2020 (performances until and including 22 February)
- PHOTOS: © Martin Walz