Va Pensiero: The Story of Verdi's Greatest Opera Chorus

Giuseppe Verdi is considered one of the masters of Italian opera, and rightfully so. His life spanned a larger time period than any of his contemporaries, and his career altered the shape of opera for a long time to come. Verdi may not have achieved greatness, however, had he not written Nabucco, the story of the captivity of by the kingdom of Babylon. Arguably the most famous Verdi chorus, Va, Pensiero (also known as The Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves) solidified Verdi's position as both the heir to the great tradition Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini, as well as the artistic spokesperson for the movement of Italian independence.

In 1815, Austrian dominance over the Italian peninsula had been assured by the Vienna Congress, dividing the provinces amongst the winners of the Napoleonic wars. The few remaining territories of became part of the Papal States (ruled by the ), the Kingdom of Sardinia Piedmont, and the Kingdom of Sicily. However, the rulers of these states were all descendants of the Hapsburgs of Austria, and therefore subject to Austrian influence. These divisions strengthened feelings of Italian Nationalism and the concept of a unified . Known as the "Risorgimento", it was defined by revolts in Sicily, Sardinia-Piedmont, and areas under Austrian rule, as well as poetry and literature which furthered feelings of nationalism.