Nabucco, the opera that permanently cemented Giuseppe Verdi’s place as a world-renowned composer, tells the story of Jews who were exiled from their homeland by the Babylonian King Nabucco (known as Nebuchadnezzar in English).

In four acts this opera manages to combine strong biblical themes with the typical theatrical drama and conflict based around the topics of politics, family and religion.

The most famous musical piece in Nabucco is the chorus “Va, pensiero!” (“Raise your thoughts on golden wings”), which is often repeated as an encore at the end of performances.

For performances in Warsaw this June, the magnificent stage set was created by famed artist Andrzej Kreütz Majewski.