"Nabucco at the Staatstheater Mainz puts a mirror with strenght in front of society. The result is a coherent production that brings the universal core theme of the piece - two enemy folks fighting against each other - into the modern age, and shows that every human being is more than what they appear. (...) Darbyshire's staging courageously gets to the point: for example the genocide, in a single shock moment (...) or the from today's perspective interesting question, which miracle ultimately converts Nabucco to the "true God Jehovah" - God as a child playing yo-yo in red chucks. (...) Why does our society produce so many Nabuccos, not only on the political stage? From which side do we let ourselves pull, just for the sake of a sense of belonging? In times of corona frustration (...) and hostile calls against democracy, these are highly controversial questions." Allgemeine Zeitung, January 25, 2022