Germany Verdi, Nabucco: Soloists, Chorus and Extras of Cologne Opera. Gürzenich-Orchestra / Sestro Quatrini (conductor). StaatenHaus Saal 1, Cologne, 12.1.2025. (DM-D)
Production
Director and Set design – Ben Baur
Costume design – Julia Katharina Berndt
Lighting design – Nicol Hungsberg
Choreography – Rachele Pedrocchi
Dramaturgy – Stephan Steinmetz
Chorus director – Rustam Samedov
Cast:
Abigaille – Marta Torbidoni
Fenena – Adriana Bastidas-Gamboa
Ismaele – Young Woo Kim
Nabucco – Stefano Meo
Zaccaria – Simón Orfila
High Priest of Baal – Lucas Singer
Abdallo – John Heuzenroeder
Anna – Claudia Rohrbach
The Cologne Opera House closed in 2012 for renovation. The opening of the refurbished building has been postponed numerous times, and since 2015, the company has been using the Staatenhaus, close to the Cologne trade fair area, as an interim venue. For this new production of Nabucco, they used a designated space in the vast building with the orchestra on the same level as the audience in front and the stage behind it. The pit was a wide and narrow space, with some of the brass to the far left and some to the far right, separated by some 30 metres. The stage space was wide and not very deep or high. Massive iron walls along the ramp to the pit were slid open and shut to open and end scenes, revealing a near-empty, grey stage space, part former factory hall, part Nissen hut, timeless, without obvious historical connotation or reference. While imprisoned, Nabucco was kept chained within a cage like a dangerous animal in a zoo or circus. Further shades of grey were added by the costumes, designed by Julia Katharina Berndt. At the end, Nabucco was killed by Zaccaria.
For the fourteen performances of the run, the company fielded several singers for the major parts on different nights. On this occasion, Marta Torbidoni sang Abigaille. While with some sopranos cast in this role it is obvious how difficult the part is and how well or less successfully the singers cope with those difficulties, Torbidoni sang with such complete ease that it was possible to thoroughly enjoy the music as a whole rather than worrying about or anticipating particularly difficult moments. Her phrasing was precise, with solid lower and middle registers strongly supporting the coloratura. Torbidoni was able to modulate volume at will, while admirable breath control allowed for long uninterrupted legato lines. She was supported in her achievement by the assuredness of conductor Sestro Quatrini, who was in full and comfortable command of the orchestra, making the most of its odd arrangement in a space not purpose-built with an opera acoustic in mind. The pace of the music was on the brisk side, with a sensitive balance of volume in relation to the singing and the proximity to the audience.
Stefano Meo sang Nabucco with a sturdy, robust voice, with a strong feeling for the rhythms particular to Verdi’s score. The Ismaele of Young Woo Kim was able to escape the restrictions of the woefully neglected role. His voice was so striking – strong, mellifluous, Italianate, well-focused and balanced across all registers – that he developed much more presence than many tenors cast in this role. Simón Orfila as Zaccaria compensated for a quite prominent wobble with a very rich and sonorous voice. Adriana Bastidas-Gamboa as Fenena provided a good vocal contrast to Torbidoni’s Abigaille, with velvety, delicate sounds. Lucas Singer (High Priest), John Heuzenroeder (Abdalla) and Claudia Rohrbach (Anna) were on a par with the principal singers. The chorus, so important in this opera, was directed by Rustam Samedov to excel in their unison. They began their ‘Va, pensiero’ backstage, emerging slowly and gradually on to the stage. Overall, this performance confirmed why this opera led to Verdi’s artistic breakthrough.
Daniel Meyer-Dinkgräfe