Fenena

Fenena is a fictional character in Giuseppe Verdi's opera Nabucco, first performed in 1842. The work is set in Babylon during the Babylonian exile and follows a struggle for power amid religious upheaval.

Fenena is a young Babylonian princess, the daughter of King Nabucco, and the sister of Abigaille. She is portrayed as virtuous and compassionate, and she becomes increasingly sympathetic to the Hebrews and their monotheistic faith. A romantic subplot links Fenena with Ismaele, a captive nobleman, adding personal stakes to the political crisis.

Her faith and loyalties influence the opera’s course: Fenena’s attitudes toward the Hebrews and her relationship with Ismaele intersect with Abigaille’s schemes and the succession crisis that follows Nabucco’s madness. In many productions she acts as a moral counterweight to her sister’s ambition, and her fate helps shape the drama’s resolution.

Musically, Fenena is typically written for a mezzo-soprano, and her scenes provide lyric contrast to Abigaille’s dramatic writing and to Nabucco’s imposing arias. The role is noted for its warmth and emotional clarity, contributing to the opera’s themes of faith, loyalty, and emancipation.

Fenena has remained a standard Verdi role since the premiere and is often cited as a sympathetic portrayal of virtue amid political turmoil.