Remembering Cyprus: "Nabucco" Castle

Cyprus is a small island so you’ll not find here local theater, opera or ballet bands. But, if you want to see a great spectacle, it is not a problem: many big theaters come for fantastic performances. There isn’t a big theater building, so medieval or ancient sites create interesting open-air stage.

In September 2001, Verdi's "Nabucco" was the fourth opera to be staged in Kato Paphos with the Mediaeval fort as a giant backdrop. After "Othello" and "Aida", it is also the third Verdi masterpiece, and coincides with the centenary of the composer's death. In Cyprus "Nabucco" was being staged by the Polish National Opera Company.

“Nabucco" is a love story based in Jerusalem and Babylon of nearly 2600 years ago, full of love, intrigues and tragedies. The Hebrew chorus of "Va pensiero" is one of Verdi's most memorable operatic passages.