The “A” cast may have sung Nabucco on Friday night for Palm Beach Opera, but on Saturday night I heard the alpha cast.
The company alternates its principals in two casts for each of its full productions and the Saturday lineup featured five incredible voices, “B” cast or no.
Giuseppe Verdi’s third opera, Nabucco, began the Romantic period in operatic composition. It nearly didn’t get written. His two previous operas, Oberto and Un Giorno di Regno, were failures at the box office.
Verdi was about to give up, but Bartolomeo Merelli, the impresario of La Scala in Milan, thrust a new libretto by Temistocle Solera into the hands of the unsuspecting Verdi. Its biblical grandeur and pathos moved the composer deeply, and by the autumn of 1841 he’d written the music.
And what beautiful music it is. Not regularly performed here, American audiences are not as familiar with it as our European cousins. As a boy of 8, I listened to the Fodens Motor Works Brass Band in England belt out the famous overture and I loved it. The Welsh National Opera chose to do it in their inaugural season and created quite a stir with an unknown bass-baritone named Bryn Terfel.
After this brilliant production by Palm Beach Opera, let’s trust it won’t be neglected by U.S. opera companies.
A massive ovation greeted the orchestra after its energetic rendition of the overture Saturday night. Conductor Bruno Aprea was in his element, directing with gusto and very much in charge of this successful evening.
Following this auspicious start, the Ukrainian bass Dmitry Belosselskiy, singing Zaccaria, the high priest of Solomon’s temple, urges the Hebrews to fight bravely against the Babylonians: he’s got King Nabucco’s daughter, Fenena, held hostage as his ace in hand. Throughout the evening Belosselskiy’s rich flexible voice went along like a river in full flood with strong rounded tones, taking all ears in its wake. What a fine instrument he has. 
American tenor Adam Diegel sang Ismaele, who fls in love with Fenena and converts her to Judaism. Here again was a strong, heroic, powerful tenor; it’s a shame Verdi didn’t write more for Ismaele to sing. Diegel’s lyric sound is a delight to hear.
Texas native Laura Vlasak Nolen as Fenena gave a finely judged performance as the pawn between two warring factions. Her highly placed mezzo-soprano is incredibly beautiful, with a distinct timbre, powerful at times, but most delicate and touching in her last-act aria.
Romanian baritone Sebastian Catana as King Nabucco was splendid. He paced himself well, has a lot of singing to do, and kept the strength of his lovely voice even until Act IV, giving it more punch at the end of the opera.
The Hungarian dramatic soprano Csilla Boross, as Abigaille, the usurping sister of Fenena’s hereditary crown, gave a performance that revived memories of an early Maria Callas. Her body language, her fine singing and the deep meaning she got into her role were distinctive, and so Callas-like. Whoever chose these five principals selected singers with incredible voices.
Harold Wilson sang the high priest of Baal very well; his mellifluous bass was lovely to hear. In comprimario roles, two Palm Beach Opera Young Artists shone brightly. Evanivaldo Correa’s tenor showed much promise as Abdallo, and he has great stage presence. And soprano Alison Bates as Anna has a powerful voice that soared over the chorus on occasion, to thrilling effect.
And the chorus! This well-drilled body of 45 singers acted and sang wonderfully well in their many calls to support the principals of this opera. Of course the highlight was Va, pensiero, when the Israelites sing longingly of their homeland. It had light and shade, tenderness and pathos, quality ensemble singing that should be the envy of other choruses hereabouts. The audience was slow to applaud, cautious not to break the spell of its beauty. To Greg Ritchey, chorus master and now assistant conductor, much praise. And kudos to the choristers.
To Guy Montavon, praise also for directing this difficult work. I’d wish for some spotlights on the principals, however, and more wearing of the elusive crown of Babylon at times.
Finally, this opera orchestra seems to get better and better. They are attentive to detail, and all the players are best at what they do. Under Aprea they will take center stage in Verdi’s Requiem on Jan. 16. Not to be missed.
Rex Hearn has covered opera in South Florida for more than a decade. He was founder of the Berkshire Opera Company in Massachusetts.
Nabucco will be performed at 2 p.m. today at the Kravis Center, West Palm Beach, with Sebastian Catana as Nabucco and Csilla Boross as Abigaille. Tickets start at $23. Call 833-7888 (opera box office) or 832-7469 (Kravis box office); or visit www.pbopera.org or www.kravis.org.