The political and religious tensions behind many conflicts, along with greed, oppression of the vulnerable, and distrust of change, set the scene for the final premiere of the 2021/22 season at the Royal Theatre of Madrid. Verdi’s Nabucco, a work born in 1842, remains a powerful historical beacon with evenings filled with drama and intense audiences.
The production runs through July 22, bringing 14 additional performances. This title and its musical direction, not staged here since 1853, returned in collaboration with the Zurich Opera after a staged revival in 2019. The direction is newly undertaken by Andreas Homoki in Madrid, with Nicola Luisotti returning as conductor, a familiar name to the city’s listeners. The evening benefits from strong performances that have drawn admiration from both critics and patrons alike.
The cast features an acclaimed line-up: Luca Salsi as Nabucco, Michael Fabiano as Ismaele, Dmitry Belosselsky as Zaccaria, Silvia Tro Santafé as Fenena, Simon Lim as High Priest, Fabián Lara as Abdallo, and Maribel Ortega as Anna. The production highlights include the singers who have long been associated with Verdi roles, delivering a night of memorable vocal drama that has shared the stage with some of opera history’s most iconic interpretations.
Verdi wrote the libretto with Temistocle Solera, adapting the tale from Nabucodonosor, a 19th century play by Auguste Anicet-Bourgeois and Francis Cornu. A ballet by Antonio Cortesi of the same name frames the narrative, which presents the clash between Babylonian polytheism and Hebrew monotheism. The staging reconstructs an era of upheaval and exile, offering a fresh, modern perspective on a story that has endured for centuries.
When the work premiered at La Scala in Milan in 1842, it quickly became identified with Italian national revival under foreign domination, a symbol of the Risorgimento that helped unite the country. The production at Madrid carries forward that legacy, tying a historic struggle to contemporary theatre that resonates with audiences today.
historical encore
During this cycle, the chorus of the Teatro Real offers a notable performance of Va, pensiero on the evening of a Tuesday. The piece, admired for its previous iterations in Madrid, closes the third act with about five minutes of applause and the first encore since the theater reopened twenty-five years ago. The moment takes place from the pit to the stage as an anthem of resilience and collective strength when facing oppression and personal ambition. The aria’s refrain speaks to the power of unity and memory, a reminder that a people can endure and rise together.
The experience of the audience is transformed by the performance. Heard from the stalls, the aria becomes a wave of quiet affirmation that builds into a chorus of support. The scene captures the emotional arc of the opera, where a community finds its voice even as its members confront tyranny and betrayal. The moment is a testament to the enduring appeal of Verdi and to the way a shared song can energize a crowd and sharpen the sense of history that the work carries.
The Madrid engagement marks no ordinary repeat performance. It is a reawakening of expectations that follows a long tradition of returning Verdi to the stage with new visualizations while preserving the core emotional spine of the score. In this production, the costumes designed by Wolfgang Gussmann in collaboration with Susana Mendoza play a crucial role. The set revolves around a stark yet monumental space that emphasizes the action and symbolism without distracting from the characters’ inner journeys. Gussmann, known for a minimalist yet powerful approach, crafted a sweeping wall that dominates the stage and functions as a mirror to the characters’ desires and the broader political currents. The design choices support a narrative that moves from ancient Babylon to a nineteenth century Italy, linking epochs through theatrical language and visual coherence.
Opinions about the gala night were divided in places, with some attendees expressing disappointment despite the overall brilliance of the performance. Yet the production’s impact remained undeniable, offering a compelling evening that balanced historical resonance with contemporary staging. The result stood as a vivid reminder that Verdi’s opera continues to challenge, delight, and provoke discussion among modern audiences. The collaboration behind the revival has brought together a team committed to reviving a classic while inviting new interpretations that speak to today’s viewers, and the reaction in Madrid reflected that dynamic tension.
In keeping with the opera’s grand tradition, this staging underscores the social and political undercurrents that drive the narrative. The tenor, baritone, and bass roles, the soprano portrayals, and the concerted forces of the chorus all contribute to a tapestry of sound and spectacle that remains accessible to long-time opera fans and newcomers alike. The result is an immersive experience that invites reflection on leadership, faith, and the power of collective voice, anchored by Verdi’s enduring melodic and dramatic genius. The production continues to be discussed as a benchmark for how classic works can be reimagined for contemporary stages while preserving the core emotional and historical stakes that define them. [Cited coverage from Teatro Real press materials]