Nabucco, Verdi's first great success, comes to Les Arts

Nicola Luisotti conducts this title musically, presented in a production by Yannis Kokkos for the Bayerische Staatsoper
Dimitri Platanias sings the role of Nabucco in the first four performances. Leo Nucci, in his Les Arts debut, takes over on May 10, 12, and 14.
< Soprano Anna Pirozzi embodies Abigaille, one of the most devilish roles in the operatic repertoire
On Tuesday the 28th, the Palau de les Arts box office will host a special 'Les Arts per a tots' sale day with 50% discounts for Nabucco.

Valencia. The Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía is hosting the final rehearsals for Verdi's Nabucco , the last opera of the subscription season, which premieres next Thursday, April 30.

The Valencian arts center presents Verdi's first major success in a production by the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, directed by Yannis Kokkos. Known for his purist aesthetic, the French director of Greek origin is a well-established figure on the European stage, having won awards for his work as a stage director, set designer, and costume designer at major opera houses. Kokkos also designed the sets and costumes for this production, which features lighting by Michael Bauer.

Nicola Luisotti is the music director of Nabucco , the second opera by the Tuscan maestro in Valencia, where he debuted in 2011 with Arrigo Boito's Mefistofele . Principal conductor of the San Francisco Opera, he has worked in both symphonic and operatic repertoire with some of the world's finest orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the La Scala Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Paris Philharmonic, and the Staatskapelle Dresden.

Verdi's opera has provided Maestro Luisotti with his most recent successes, among which stands out precisely the Nabucco that he has conducted at La Scala in Milan and London's Covent Garden. 

Nabucco is an opera in four acts with a libretto by Temistocle Solera, inspired by biblical texts and the play of the same name by Auguste Anicet-Bourgeois. It premiered in 1842 at La Scala in Milan and became Giuseppe Verdi's first major success, marking the beginning of his most prolific period, known as his 'galley years'.

The opera takes place in Jerusalem and Babylon and is based on the biblical story of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, who, after conquering the Jewish people, proclaims himself God—a bold act that drives him mad and leads to his dethronement as divine punishment. His reckless daughter, Abigaille, takes his place. After recovering from his madness, Nabucco converts to Judaism and decides to reclaim the crown in order to finally restore freedom to the Jewish people.

The historical context also favored the triumph of the composer from Busseto with Nabucco . The Italian people's rejection of the Austrian occupation transformed this opera, and especially the chorus 'Va pensiero', sung by the Jewish slaves lamenting the loss of their homeland, into a symbol of Italian nationalism.

A demanding cast

Dimitri Platanias will sing the role of Nabucco in the first four performances, including opening night as well as May 2, 5, and 7. The young Greek singer leads a new generation of Verdi baritones, as noted by the specialized press. A leading interpreter of Rigoletto , his recent work at London's Covent Garden and with Gianandrea Noseda and the London Symphony Orchestra has provided a definitive boost to his career.

Leo Nucci, one of the great stars of the world opera scene, will bring the Babylonian king to life in the last three performances, which will take place on May 10, 12 and 14.

An outstanding interpreter of the Verdi and verismo repertoire, Leo Nucci is an essential name in the casts of the great opera houses around the world, with engagements in London, Milan, New York, Beijing and Vienna.

His voice and immense stage presence have led him to work with the greatest orchestra conductors, such as Herbert von Karajan, Sir Georg Solti, Riccardo Muti, Claudio Abbado, Carlos Kleiber, Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Chailly, James Levine and Zubin Mehta, among others.

Grand Officer of the Italian Republic, Chamber Singer (Kammersänger) and honorary member of the Vienna Opera, and Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters of the French Republic, Leo Nucci will join the gallery of opera stars who have graced the stage of the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía with his debut on May 10.

Anna Pirozzi brings to life Abigaille, one of the most feared soprano roles in the history of opera. Rejected by many great divas due to its demanding nature, this score has established the Neapolitan singer as one of the finest dramatic sopranos.

The resounding success at the Salzburg Festival with Abigaille under the baton of Riccardo Muti in 2013 has consolidated her career with a busy schedule of jobs and commitments in Berlin, Florence, Leipzig, Naples, Rome and Turin.

The cast of this opera is completed by the voices of Russian bass Sergei Artamonov (Zaccaria), American tenor Brian Jadge (Ismaele) and Armenian mezzo-soprano Varduhi Abrahamyan (Fenena).

Also participating are artists from the Centre de Perfeccionament Plácido Domingo: tenor David Fruci (Abdallo), soprano Hyekyung Choi (Anna) and bass Shi Zong (High Priest of Baal).

Les Arts per a tots, tickets at 50% 

Tomorrow, April 28, the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía ticket offices will host a special 'Les Arts per a tots' sales day with 50% discounts for Nabucco tickets.

The 'Les Arts per a tots' sales days are an initiative of the 'Les Arts: A space for all audiences' program aimed at holders of the Youth Card, the International Student Card (ISIC), the Large Family title, retirees over 65 years of age and pensioners holding the Cultural Card of the Generalitat Valenciana, people in a situation of unemployment or those who have an accredited degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%.