Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Sinfonia
2. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 1. Introduzione. "Gil arredi festivi giù cadano infranti"
3. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 1. Recitativo e cavatina. "Sperate, o figli!"
4. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 1. Recitativo e cavatina. "D'Egitto là sui lidi"
5. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 1. Recitativo e cavatina. "Qual rumore?"
6. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 1. Recitativo e cavatina. "Come notte a sol fulgente"
7. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 1. Recitativo e terzettino. "Fenena! O mia diletta!"
8. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 1. Recitativo e terzettino. "Guerrieri, è preso il Tempio!... Prode guerrier"
9. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 1. Recitativo e terzettino. "Io t'amava!"
10. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 1. Coro. "Lo vedeste?"
11. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 1. Finale. "Viva Nabucco!"
12. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 1. Finale. "Si finga... Tremin gl'insani del mio furore!"
13. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 1. Finale. "O vinti, il capo a terra!"
14. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 2 Scene 1. Scena ed aria. "Ben io t'invenni"
15. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 2 Scene 1. Scena ed aria. "Anch'io dischiuso un giorno"
16. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 2 Scene 1. Scena ed aria. "Chi s'avanza?"
17. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 2 Scene 1. Scena ed aria. "Salgo già del trono aurato"
18. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 2 Scene 2. Recitativo e preghiera. (Introduzione)
19. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 2 Scene 2. Recitativo e preghiera. "Vieni, o Levita!"
20. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 2 Scene 2. Recitativo e preghiera. "Tu sul labbro de' veggenti"

Disc 2:

1. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 2 Scene 2. Coro. "Che si vuol?... Il maledetto non ha fratelli"
2. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 2 Scene 2. Scena e finale. "Deh, fratelli, perdonate"
3. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 2 Scene 2. Scena e finale. "S'appressan gl'instanti"
4. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 2 Scene 2. Scena e finale. "S'oda or me!"
5. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 2 Scene 2. Scena e finale. "Chi mi toglie il regio scettro?"
6. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 3 Scene 1. Introduzione. "È l'Assiria una regina"
7. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 3 Scene 1. Scena e duetto. "Eccelsa Donna"
8. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 3 Scene 1. Scena e duetto. "Donna, chi sei?"
9. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 3 Scene 1. Scena e duetto. "Oh, di qual'onta aggravasi"
10. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 3 Scene 1. Scena e duetto. "Ah, qual suon!"
11. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 3 Scene 1. Scena e duetto. "Deh, perdona"
12. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 3 Scene 2. Coro e profezia. (Introduzione)
13. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 3 Scene 2. Coro e profezia. "Va, pensiero, sull'ali dorate"
14. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 3 Scene 2. Coro e profezia. "Oh, chi piange?... Del futuro nel buio discerno"
15. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 4 Scene 1. Scena ed aria. (Introduzione)
16. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 4 Scene 1. Scena ed aria. "Son pur queste mie membra!"
17. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 4 Scene 1. Scena ed aria. "Dio di Giuda!"
18. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 4 Scene 1. Scena ed aria. "Cadran, cadranno i perfidi... O prodi miei, seguitemi"
19. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 4 Scene 2. Finale ultimo. "Oh, dischiuso è il firmamento!"
20. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 4 Scene 2. Finale ultimo. "Ah, torna Israello"
21. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 4 Scene 2. Finale ultimo. "Immenso Jeovha"
22. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 4 Scene 2. Finale ultimo. "Oh! chi vegg'io?"
23. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Part 4 Scene 2. Finale ultimo. "Su me... morente... esanime"

Disc 3:

1. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
2. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
3. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
4. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
5. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
6. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
7. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
8. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
9. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
10. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
11. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
12. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
13. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
14. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
15. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
16. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
17. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
18. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
19. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
20. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
21. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
22. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)
23. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #63877 in Music
• Released on: 1984-03-12
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .64 pounds

Amazon.com
Nabucco was Verdi's third opera, and it's filled with one great, energy-filled melody after another; if the drama is a bit crude (the characters are one-dimensional at best), the emotions are sincere and the passions run high enough to make one forgive Verdi's youthful enthusiasm. The role of Abigaille, Nabucco's evil daughter, is a voice-wrecker, but the animal-like Ghena Dimitrova sounds as if she could sing it in her sleep. She hurls the high Bs and Cs at us as ferociously as the Bs and Cs two octaves lower--this is a stunner of a performance. As the title character, Piero Cappuccilli sings with his usual big, unsubtle tone; one wishes for more sensitivity. Placido Domingo, who will apparently sing anything written in the tenor clef, makes as much of the little part of Ismaele, and bass Evgeny Nesterenko fills out the High Priest's music superbly. Giuseppe Sinopoli's leadership is probing, nuanced, and, when needed, as big as all outdoors. This is a pip of a performance, highly recommended. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews

Full-blooded performances make a benchmark recording
This is probably the greatest recording of Nabucco available today, and stands alongside other classic operatic discs of recent times. There are certainly competitors - but for all Gobbi's and Suliotis' dramatic punch, their singing doesn't quite match the demands Verdi makes. Sinopoli's cast, however, sing up a storm and the opera is conducted with real verve. The sound quality achieves good balance, is perhaps on the "boxy" side but allows for excellent clarity, offsetting the intimate moments against the superbly sung choral scenes.

Capuccilli's Nabucco is suitably regal, but has real plangency to his tone when the king is reduced to a slave. Nesterenko's inky bass and forthright delivery make Zaccaria much more than a cipher (and rightly so, for he has some of the best music), and the young Domingo is ideally cast as a virile, passionate Ismaele - a character who can otherwise seem one dimensional and irritating. As his beloved, Fenena, Valentini Terrani sounds perhaps uninvolved but sings Fenena's prayer in the last scene with distinction. The small role of Anna is sung by a very young - but distinctive - Lucia Popp. But the set is probably most remarkable for Dimitrova's Abigaille, which is sung with simply awesome power. Very, very few sopranos can get through the role, yet Dimitrova tackles every one of the two octave leaps, vertiginous scales, and below staff growls Verdi throws at her with tireless, gleaming, ample tone. Even the tender side of Abigaille is manifested with some beautiful soft singing; this is one of the most remarkabe accomplishments I have heard on disc.

So - pending the release of the new Bruson-Guleghina recording that has made it into some of the shops, this really is the Nabucco to have. No other comes close for sheer quality and consistency across the performance.

Very Verdi
Hard to believe this is but Verdi's third opera. His first big hit, after almost throwing in the towel over the De Regno's flop. In 1841 the shrewd Bartolomeo Merelli, then impresario of La Scala, got Verdi re-engaged for this composition. Thank goodness, or we wouldn't have this great recording. Piero Cappuccilli heads the cast as a full voiced kick-ass Nabucco, only to have the show stolen by Ghena Dimitrova as an unbelievably powerful and dramatically convincing Abigaille. Evgeny Nesterenko is a first rate Zaccaria, High Priest of the Hebrews who almost scares off the King of Babylon (and me). Placid Domingo sounds youthful and strong as Ismaele (probably overcast in this lightweight role, but a nice bonus). Making it all work is the Opera of Berlin Orchestra and the wonderful conducting of Giuseppe Sinopoli. A more Verdi sounding score you will not find. Sinopoli subtle control of the brass accents the singers so well you want to listen to this recording again and again. This is in no small part due to the excellent sound engineering of Klaus Hiemann. All operas should be recorded this well, one that Verdi would purchase.

More than Exciting
I have listened to a few versions of this opera, even pirated scenes with Maria Callas. It is really an opera of vitality. Verdi may have still had many crudities in the way he wrote. He may have even been over the top at times. Yet, he is unmistakeably exciting. As he third attempt at opera, I would say, even if he did use the "required styles of the day" he produced a wonderfully vivid work. Of course, the characters are one dimensional (if even that deep), but they are exciting and enjoyable. The sound is excellent, and the singing is every bit on par with the excitement of the music. Of course, the person who makes the opera is Ghena Dimitrova, and not because anyone else is less good. They are all great! She just seems to make that voice-wrecker music seem easy, and even gentle on the voice. There is no strain at all! However, I read somewhere when this recording was first reviewed that she had been ill, and that making the recording was difficult. I have no clue if that is true, but I can assure anyone who buys this recording, if it is, they will not be able to tell. She blazes through the role and carries you away. Just for those who are not familiar with her in real life performances, she has a voice that would knock your socks off. It is HUGE! It isn't just loud, and seemingly could go on for ever getting louder and louder without difficulty or strain. It is EXCITING! She can also draw back the sound to a whisper, like Caballe, and send a tingle up your spine. This recording gets close to sharing those real life experiences with the listener. This is well worthy the money!