Nabucco

Nabucco is not one of Verdi's most-familiar operas, but it was his first great success and is well worth viewing. Solera's libretto is loosely (very loosely) based on the story of Nabucco (Nebuchadnezzar) as found in the biblical book of Daniel. Verdi's music is, of course, great 19th-century Italian opera music. Often lyrical and sometimes dramatic, the music is probably pretty accessible to someone new to opera.

This was a live production in the Roman amphitheater at Verona, Italy. The setting actually worked well. The soloists, chorus, and orchestra did a fine job. Everything came together for an commendable and enjoyable performance.