MUNICIPAL ORCHESTRA
Leader: TATE GILDER
- Guildford Corporation Concerts
DirRecTtor oF Music:
VERNON HANDLEY
SATURDAY, 20th OCTOBER, 1962, at 7 p.m.
CIVIC HALL
Concert Version of
NABUCCOQO (Verdy
Guest Conductor: IVOR JOHN
PROGRAMME
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SIXPENCE
CONCERT VERSION OF
NABUCCO e
ABIGAIL
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FENENA
gl
=«
=
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ELIZABETH VAUGHAN
T
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ANTONINA CHILD
ISHMAEL and ABDULLAH
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ANDREW GOLD
NABUCCO
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ZACHARIAH
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BRYAN DRAKE
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GERWYN MORGAN
THE STORY OF THE OPERA
ACT I.
After the Sinfonia the curtain rises to show us the
Jews praying for deliverance from the Assyrian invaders.
They
are in the temple of Solomon in Jerusalem and, as they pray,
the
priest
Zachariah
brings
forward
the
hostage,
Fenena,
captured daughter of Nabucco. He encourages the Jews and
exhorts them to have faith in Jehovah.
We hear then from
Ishmael that Nabucco is approaching and when Zachariah has
departed the dialogue between Ishmael and Fenena shows us
that they have been in love ever since Ishmael met her when
on a visit to Babylon.
daughter,
Abigail, who is supposed to be Nabucco’s
arrives with some Babylonians disguised as Jews.
She loves Ishmael and proposes to him that if he will return her
love she will deliver him and his people, but Ishmael refuses.
The Jews now return pressed by Nabucco’s army and Nabucco
himself.
Zachariah defies Nabucco and threatens to kill Fenena,
but Ishmael intervenes.
The Act ends with Nabucco ordering
the bondage of the Jews and the burning of the Temple.
ACT II.
We are in the Palace at Babylon where Abigail has
discovered that she is of low birth,
to surmount this indignity.
She is determined, however,
The High Priest of Baal tells her
that Nabucco has been reported dead and that the people want
her as Queen, but that Fenena, who is Regent in her father’s
absence, is planning to release the Jews.
Abigail and the Priests
plot against Fenena.
Elsewhere in the Palace, Zachariah prays to Jehovah.
Then
the Levites curse Ishmael for protecting Fenena but Anna points
out to them that Fenena is now a Jew.
warns of Abigail’s approach.
force
Fenena
to
yield
returns and seizes it.
the
Abdullah enters and
Abigail appears and is about to
Crown
when
Nabucco
suddenly
Power has gone to his head and, despite
Zachariah’s entreaties, he demands that all bow to him as a god.
As he makes the demand he is struck by a thunderbolt.
While
he is in a state of confusion Abigail picks up the Crown.
ACT III.
A Priest of Baal still demands of Abigail the death
of the Jews and Fenena.
Abigail persuades the mad Nabucco
to sanction the death sentence realizing that it is Fenena he is
condemning.
He threatens to publish the evidence of Abigail’s
low birth, but she tears this evidence up before him.
She tells
him that he is now a prisoner.
The Chorus of Jews bewail their conditions but Zachariah
berates them and again exhorts faith.
ACT IV.
Nabucco is woken by a dream to see Fenena being
led to execution.
Penitent, he prays to Jehovah and thus his
madness leaves him.
This spectacle leads Abdullah
Nabucco his sword and set him free.
to give
Nabucco vows to win
back his Kingdom.
In the Temple of Baal, Zachariah prepares Fenena for her
death but suddenly they hear cries of ‘“Viva Nabucco’’.
rushes
in
and
the
idol
disintegrates
under
his
He
denunciation.
Jehovah is then honoured by the released prisoners and the King
hailed as a Servant of God.
wickedness, poisons herself.
Abigail, full of remorse for her
SUNDAY, 4th NOVEMBER, at 3 p.m. -
Overture ‘Coriolan’
Beethoven
Violin Concerto
Brahms
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
Bach
Symphony No. 5
Beethoven
ERICK FRIEDMAN, Violin
Conductor:
MUNICIPAL ORCHESTRA
VERNON HANDLEY
SATURDAY, 17th NOVEMBER, at 7 p.m.
Overture ‘Ruy Blas’
Mendelssohn
Toward the Unknown Region
= Vaughan Williams
(for Chorus and Orchestra)
Symphony No. 9 (Choral)
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
FESTIVAL CHOIR
Conductor:
Beethoven
Rae Woodland
Jean Allister
Edward Byles
John Shirley-Quirk
MUNICIPAL ORCHESTRA
VERNON HANDLEY
THURSDAY, 22nd NOVEMBER, at 8 p.m.
DANIEL WAYENBERG Pianoforte
Sonata No. 2 in D Minor, Opus 31
Beethoven
Four Etudes
Chopin
Opus 10, Nos. 1,9, 7
Opus 25, No. 9
Nocturne in E Minor, Opus posthumous
Chopin
Scherzo No. 3 in C sharp Minor, Opus 39
Chopin
Sonata in B Minor
Liszt
s