This week the Washington Concert Opera is set to conclude its 2022-23 season with Verdi’s “Nabucco” featuring a cast of rising stars and established singers. Leading the team will be established baritone Lester Lynch.

The baritone will be adding another Verdi role to his repertoire after having appeared in such works as “Il Trovatore,” “Rigoletto,” “La Traviata,” and “Aida.”

In a statement regarding the role, Lynch told OperaWire, “It’s such a pleasure to be singing Nabucco again. This is one of those roles I eagerly learned early in my career but never performed. It’s been amazing to return to the score years later and soak in Verdi’s third opera and further get to know Nabucco. Or as I knew him as a child in bible school, Nebuchadnezzar. There is a deep passion that I feel when singing Nabucco… This role is somehow more personal than some of the other Verdi Baritone roles I perform.”

He added, “Having studied the Babylonian King in my early years at church somehow that brought me closer to this character. I also enjoy performing roles that discover something during the performance. The transition of this character after proclaiming himself, not king, but God! Then later, discover a respect for a power greater than himself in Act four — this is one of the exciting and extremely moving aspects of this incredible story. Also for the public, and governments around the world this is a cautionary tale, “power corrupts”! Nabucco, with its beautiful choruses and extraordinary arias, this opera satisfies not only the audience but those of us on stage.”

For those not in Washington, the baritone will perform “Il Trovatore” in Pittsburgh later this season and is set to perform at the Dayton Opera as well as NZ Opera, among others.

Recordings 

As a veteran artist Lynch has recorded numerous operas including “Il Tabarro,” “La Traviata,” and “Porgy and Bess.”

Here is a look at Lynch performing excerpts from “Rigoletto” and “Il Trovatore.”