Opera Scotland

Nabucco 2005Chisinau National Opera, Moldova

Read more about the opera Nabucco

Nabucco is loved for its famous chorus, but otherwise has the reputation as a fairly unsubtle piece of early Verdi. The technical difficulties of casting the lead roles, especially the fearsome Abigaille, mean that professional performances have been rare in Scotland. Indeed it is likely that, until the Ellen Kent tours began, no professional performances had occurred north of the central belt.

These four performances were slotted in among a group of eight Carmens that formed the Scottish leg of the tour. The visit opened in Dundee, with Nabucco, before taking both operas to Edinburgh for a week. Returning north, the company gave Carmen in Dundee and both works in Aberdeen, before ending the visit in Glasgow - hard work for all concerned.

The chorus may have been fewer in number than the ideal, but they still sang with suitable fervour. Both sopranos have well-schooled voices able to cope with the known difficulties of the part, and Racovita had now become a confident exponent of the title role. It was also good to see such excellent voices in the shorter roles, especially Fenena and Ismaele.

Details from souvenir programme and performance cast list.