The Metropolitan Opera presents Giuseppe Verdi's "Nabucco" on this week's Saturday matinee broadcast. Ancient Babylon comes to life in a classic Met staging of biblical proportions. Baritone George Gagnidze makes his Met role debut as the imperious king Nabucco, alongside soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska reprising her thrilling turn as his vengeful daughter Abigaille. Mezzo-soprano Maria Barakova and tenor SeokJong Baek, in his company debut, are Fenena and Ismaele, whose love transcends politics, and bass Dmitry Belosselskiy repeats his celebrated portrayal of the high priest Zaccaria. Daniele Callegari conducts Verdi’s exhilarating early masterpiece, which features the ultimate showcase for the great Met Chorus, the moving “Va, pensiero.”
Our weekly preview comes from Joshua Borths, Resident Scholar at Virginia Opera. You can hear his segments on my "Afternoon Classical" show each Friday afternoon just before 5pm.
Tune in to hear "Nabucco" Saturday afternoon, January 6th at 1pm on VPM Music, 93.1 and 107.3 in central Virginia and streaming online here at vpm.org!
Yours in good music,
Mike Goldberg
Classical Host, VPM Music
