"Va, pensiero" from Nabucco

Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901)

Arrangement by Andre Sudol ('22)

"Nabucco is an opera of unapologetically epic proportions: rulers challenge their gods, love struggles against empire, and religious revelation goes hand in hand with divine retribution. Verdi’s inspired treatment of the Israelites’ enslavement and the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar’s dramatic conversion to Judaism

captivated audiences, made the young composer famous, and gave voice to a simmering Italian nationalism that was soon to explode with incendiary force. The opera’s most famous number, the chorus of the Hebrew slaves “Va, pensiero,” became the unofficial anthem of the Italian independence movement, and the score is filled with musical ideas showing Verdi’s ability to innovate operatic convention in the service of character development and psychological depth. Foreshadowing his mature works, Nabucco shows us the young composer as he is beginning to understand the full scope and power of his artistic vision. [...]

Nabucco, King of Babylon, leads an army to Jerusalem, determined to

conquer the city and enslave the Israelites. Abigaille, Nabucco’s daughter, arrives just before the approaching army and offers to save the Israelites—but only if Ismaele, nephew of Jerusalem’s king, will return her love. He refuses, for he is already in love with Abigaille’s sister Fenena, who is being held hostage by the Israelites and has converted to Judaism. Abigaille swears vengeance as Nabucco arrives and orders the Temple of Solomon burned to the ground.

Back in Babylon, Abigaille discovers she is not actually Nabucco’s true daughter, but instead the daughter of slaves. Worried that someone will find out and keep her from ruling Babylon, she plans to steal the throne from Nabucco and Fenena. Just after she declares herself queen, Nabucco enters, and, furious at her treachery, proclaims himself not only king but god. At this, he is struck by a thunderbolt and driven insane. With no one in her way, Abigaille orders the execution of the Israelites, including Fenena.

Desperate to save his daughter, Nabucco prays to the God of Israel, promising to

convert the entire Babylonian empire to Judaism. His prayers are answered: Nabucco’s sanity is restored and he arrives just in time to stop the execution of Fenena and the Israelites. Abigaille, full of remorse, poisons herself and Nabucco frees the Israelites."

Program notes excerpted from https://www.metopera.org/globalassets/discover/education/educator-guides/nabucco/nabucco.16-17.guide.pdf