Produced in March 1842, Nabucco was Verdi’s first triumph with the public and (most) critics, establishing him as a great composer. The audience at the premiere went mad with enthusiasm and demanded an encore of the chorus “Va, pensiero.” “Va, pensiero” was musically beautiful, but as an expression of the longing of the Hebrew slaves for freedom it also struck a powerful political chord. Soon it was being sung in the streets, and many years later was reverently hymned at Verdi’s public funeral. For much of the twentieth century Nabucco was neglected as an immature early work by Verdi, but nowadays has taken its place again with great success as a repertory piece. Grand Tier presents the most popular titles from the budget Opera d’Oro catalogue at mid-price with complete newly translated librettos, stimulating essays by eminent music writers, and deluxe packaging with striking artwork commissioned from Rafal Olbinski. Live performance, Milan, 1966. “The La Scala forces impress … Suliotis has left a legacy of recorded performances, and most persuasive are those captured live. This document of her La Scala debut stands among the greatest.” — Ira Siff