November Opens at Bucharest National Opera with Memorable Ballet and Opera Performances

November begins beautifully at the Bucharest National Opera, bringing audiences a series of stunning ballet and opera productions, including Raymonda by Alexander Glazunov, Nabucco by Giuseppe Verdi, and La clemenza di Tito by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Raymonda (by Alexander Glazunov) – Tuesday, November 5, at 18:30

Though Raymonda ranks among the great ballets like Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, or The Nutcracker, it is rarely performed in its entirety; most companies showcase only the Act III “pas de deux.” The Bucharest National Opera, however, presents the full version, closely honoring the original choreography and score. Raymonda transports viewers to medieval France, with the tale unfolding against the castle backdrop of the Countess of Doris in Provence. To fulfill the love story between nobleman Jean de Brienne and the beautiful Raymonda, a chivalrous victory is needed—a duel in which Jean must defeat a rival Saracen who also seeks Raymonda’s hand. The ballet, which became choreographer Marius Petipa’s final masterpiece, showcases his genius. For Glazunov, Raymonda marked his debut in ballet composition and has since become a celebrated part of his musical legacy.

Nabucco (by Giuseppe Verdi) – Wednesday, November 6, at 18:30

Composed by Verdi in 1841 with a libretto by Temistocle Solera, Nabucco was inspired by the French play Nabuchodonosor (1836) by Anicet-Bourgeois and Cornu and premiered on March 9, 1842, at La Scala in Milan. Verdi’s work portrays the Jewish people’s tragic fate under the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, who conquered and exiled them. However, Verdi uses this historical setting to build a romantic and political drama, with his patriotic zeal reflected in the famous “Va, pensiero” chorus, a heartfelt cry of the captive Israelites yearning for their homeland. The chorus was soon sung as a revolutionary anthem on Italy’s streets. The Bucharest production, staged with a grand yet simple set by George Doroșenco, echoes the majesty and ambition of the fearsome Nabucodonosor. Since its premiere in Bucharest in October 1987, Nabucco has remained in the Opera’s repertoire for over 30 years.

La clemenza di Tito (by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) – Saturday and Sunday, November 9-10, at 18:30

The first week of November concludes with two consecutive performances of La clemenza di Tito by Mozart, directed by Tompa Gábor. This masterpiece was commissioned for Emperor Leopold II’s coronation as King of Bohemia on September 6, 1791. Just three months after this royal event, Mozart passed away. La clemenza di Tito extols political virtues such as generosity, tolerance, and forgiveness—virtues cherished throughout European history, from Ancient Rome to the Austrian Enlightenment. Tompa Gábor’s vision places the opera’s events in ancient Rome in 79 AD, a period marked by Emperor Titus Flavius Vespasianus’s enlightened rule. The production resonates with present-day events, alluding to recent history like the January 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol, particularly as it coincides with the American presidential election on November 5, 2024. Audiences are thus invited to appreciate the powerful timeliness of the Bucharest Opera’s choice to stage La clemenza di Tito on November 9-10, 2024.