Metropolitan Opera’s Nabucco – select Cineplex locations – January 6, 2024 LiveEvents December 30, 2023 1061 The Met: Live in HD presents Nabucco Giuseppe Verdi, composer Temistocle Solera, librettist On January 6, 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 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.” ACT I Sixth century B.C.E. The Hebrew temple in Jerusalem is under attack from Nabucco (Nebuchadnezzar), King of Babylon. His daughter Fenena, who is being held hostage by the Israelites, has fallen in love with Ismaele, nephew of the King of Jerusalem. Fenena’s half-sister Abigaille also loves Ismaele, but he rejects her. The victorious Nabucco orders the destruction of the temple. ACT II Back in Babylon, Abigaille, who has found out that she is not the king’s daughter but the child of slaves, swears vengeance against Nabucco. The High Priest of Baal offers her the throne and proposes to spread the rumor that Nabucco has died. The Babylonians proclaim Abigaille ruler. As she is about to crown herself, Nabucco appears and declares himself king and a god, for which a thunderbolt strikes him down. Abigaille is triumphant. ACT III Nabucco, in a state of half-madness, is tricked by Abigaille into signing the death warrant for the captive Israelites, including the newly converted Fenena. The Israelites dream of their lost homeland. ACT IV Nabucco prays to the god of Israel for forgiveness and pledges to convert himself and his people. His sanity restored, he summons his soldiers and stops the Israelites’ execution at the last moment. Abigaille takes poison, and Nabucco sets the prisoners free. Israelites and Babylonians are united in praise of God. Saturday, January 6, 2024 This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe. To purchase your tickets visit: www.cineplex.com/events/arts-culture
