Verdi's Nabucco to Be Performed at the "Oper im Steinbruch" in Summer 2022
The popular opera "Nabucco" will be returning to "Oper im Steinbruch" in the Summer of 2022. Learn more about the upcoming opera and how to reserve your tickets.
Member of the Board of Directors of the Esterhazy Foundations Stefan Ottrubay (left), Director Francisco Negrin (mid), and Artistic Director of Oper im Steinbruch Daniel Serafin (right). / Picture: © Oper im Steinbruch / Andreas Tischler
Giuseppe Verdi’s Nabucco is coming to the “Oper im Steinbruch” (“Opera in the Quarry”) St. Margarethen in the summer of 2022.
The work, which was shown as the very first opera in the quarry in 1996, was last on the program in 2007 in St. Margarethen.
Now, it is returning as a new production in the unique rocky landscape of the quarry. The production will premiere on 13 July 2022.
International leading team ensures opera enjoyment at the highest level
The director will be the award-winning Spanish director Francisco Negrin. He is active in opera as well as in the world of stadium and arena events and is considered one of the best directors in the world.
In his new production, Negrin makes the quarry itself the protagonist of the action: its uniqueness reflects the particular worldview of the Jewish community within the opera, which is closely linked to its environment. The Babylonians, on the other hand, invade and destroy nature.
“The play is about a decadent society that destroys man and nature. The quarry itself, of course, is inherently part of nature; it is a product of nature. And the decades-long tradition of staging Passion plays in St. Margarethen also demonstrates that there is a deep connection between the landscape and the spiritual,” explains Francisco Negrin.
The criticism of the anti-nature lifestyle of Babylonian society is also expressed visually. In keeping with the background of the stage design by Thanassis Demiris–who studied architecture in the USA, Great Britain, and the Czech Republic–the progressive construction of a monumental Babylonian palace is at the center of the stage concept.
Costume designer Pepe Corzo’s costumes, some minimalist and simple, others futuristic, also perfectly reflect the various societies. Corzo summed up his designs, “The costume design is strongly based on Babylonian culture and art, on handed-down examples of architecture, symbolism or sculptures. There are two universes in Nabucco: Babylon is characterized by excess, arrogance, power, megalomania, and greed. In contrast, the Jewish world in the production represents simplicity, connection to nature and the environment.”
The South American art director and costume and set designer has worked at renowned opera houses and theaters around the world. His style is specifically characterized by experimental, playful and colorful costume designs.
Alvise Caselatti conducts top-class star ensemble
With conductor Alvise Caselatti, a proven specialist in Italian opera is once again on the podium of the Opera in the Quarry. He is the founder and music director of “Opera Italiana is in the Air,” which has made the beauty of Italian opera music accessible to everyone since 2017.
Under his direction, the Piedra Festival Orchestra and an ensemble of top international singers will bring to blaze the melodically and rhythmically stirring score with which the young Verdi inherited from his predecessors Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti. Most recently, Alvise Caselatti conducted Nabucco to great acclaim at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg.
Nabucco is embodied by American baritone Lucas Meachem, who shares the role with Aris Argiris and Leo An.
Meachem made his debut at New York’s Metropolitan Opera in the 2007/2008 season as General Rajewsky (War and Peace) and can now be heard this season as Marcello in La Bohème. He has also sung at the most important opera houses in Europe.
The up-and-coming star Leo An has already been seen this year as Ping in Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot at the Opera in the Quarry.
Nabucco’s daughter Fenena alternates between the Slovenian mezzo-soprano Monika Bohinec and Marie Luise Dreßen. Monica Bohinec has been considered an indispensable ensemble member of the Vienna State Opera since the 2011/2012 season.
For the role of Abigaille, the internationally acclaimed sopranos Evgenia Muraveva, Ewa Płonka and Astrik Khanamiryan are committed.
Muraveva’s roles at the Salzburg Festival included Katerina Lvovna Ismailova ("Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk") in 2017 and she sang the title role of Tosca at the Vienna State Opera in 2019.
Polish-American soprano Ewa Płonka made her acclaimed Austrian debut this year in the successful Turandot production at the St. Margarethen Quarry and will be seen as Lady Macbeth at La Scala in Milan on 29 December, sharing the title role of the Verdi opera with Anna Netrebko.
The role of Ismaele will be performed by tenors Jinxu Xiaohu and Carlos Osuna. Both are members of the ensemble of the Vienna State Opera and had the opportunity to perform under none other than Plácido Domingo in Verdi's Macbeth.
Zaccaria is voiced by Jongmin Park and Nicola Ulivieri. Park last shone in Aida at the Arena di Verona. Amélie Hois was chosen for the role of Anna as well as Ivan Zinoviev for the chief priest of Baal and David Jagodic for Abdallo.
As in previous years, the Vienna Philharmonia Choir operates under the proven leadership of Walter Zeh.
Daniel Serafin, Artistic Director of the Opera in the Quarry, is looking forward to the upcoming season, “Giuseppe Verdi's magnificent music, a stirring story and the joy of presenting a top-class ensemble are my motivation for the upcoming season. Believe me, this production of ‘Nabucco’ will enchant us all. According to the words ‘Fly, thought, on golden wings of the famous prisoners’ chorus, our thoughts are already drawn into this unique experience.”
Nabucco - a story of retribution and unshakable faith
Composed in 1841 and premiered on 9 March 1842 at Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Giuseppe Verdi achieved his great breakthrough in 1842 with “Nabucco.”
In powerful images and catchy melodies, the composer depicts a moving story of despair and hope, megalomania, hatred, retaliation, sibling quarrels, great love, and unshakable faith.
He enslaves the Hebrews and mocks their faith. When Nabucco’s favorite daughter Fenena not only shows solidarity with the Israelites out of love for the Jewish Prince Ismael, but even accepts their faith, her older sister Abigail le senses the chance of a palace revolt. She wants to take revenge on her hated sister and on the prince whom Abigail also desires.
Full of arrogance, Nabucco elevates himself to the status of god, to be worshipped for all eternity. Lightning strikes the palace, the megalomaniac king falls into mental derangement, and Abigail le, obsessed with power, reaches for the crown.
Nobody except Nabucco knows that Abigaille is of ignoble descent, and so the supposed princess is preparing to cover up all traces of her story. In a veritable frenzy of retaliation, Abigaille wants to destroy her family and the entire Israeli people. The Hebrews are left with nothing but hope...
More information
- Location: Oper im Steinbruch St. Margarethen (Burgenland)
- Premiere date: July 13, 2022
- Other dates: July 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30 and 31, 2022. August 4, 5, 6,7, 11, 12, 13 and 14, 2022.
- Duration: 2 hours and 15 min
- Tickets: Tickets range from € 43 to € 146 and can be reserved now at the pan.event ticket office, by Telephone: +43 2682 65065 or by e-mail: tickets@panevent.at.