A long-time favourite of Welsh National Opera, Rigolettois one of the most timeless of all operatic tragedies. Directed by the renowned Adele Thomas, also incoming joint WNO General Director and CEO, WNO’s brand-new production will present a new and striking take on the Verdi classic. Read our quick guide below to find out all you need to know about Rigoletto and what you can expect this Autumn Season.
Giuseppe Verdi’s tragic opera Rigoletto is based on Victor Hugo’s scandalous 1832 play, Le roi s’amuse, which was immediately banned in France after its first performance. With a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave (who also collaborated with Verdi on La traviata and Macbeth), the opera was first performed at Venice’s La Fenice theatre in March 1851 after having been adapted to avoid censorship by the Venetian authorities. The opera was proved a resounding triumph and its popularity quickly spread throughout Europe.
Rigoletto is a story of infatuation, revenge, jealousy and tragedy that takes place in the corrupt court of the Duke of Mantua. Amid a party at the court, the Duke’s hunchbacked jester, Rigoletto, mocks his cuckolded guests, including Count Monterone, who places a curse on Rigoletto. Gilda, Rigoletto’s daughter, is his only joy and protects her fiercely but has let her out of his sight for a time that allows Gilda to fall in love with a seductive student (who is actually the Duke in disguise). That night, Gilda is abducted by the Duke’s courtiers and is delivered straight to the Duke’s bedroom.
Rigoletto swears revenge and pays the assassin Sparafucile to kill the Duke, who by now has moved on to seduce the assassin’s sister, Maddalena. Rigoletto takes Gilda to secretly watch the Duke with Maddalena and Gilda is heartbroken. Aware of Sparafucile’s plan to assassinate the Duke, the infatuated Gilda disguises herself and plans to sacrifice herself in his place. Gilda dies in her father’s arms; the doomed Rigoletto witnesses Monterone’s curse on him come to pass at last.
At the time of writing, Verdi considered his Rigoletto as the best of his works to date, and it’s no surprise why – it contains some of the most famous and memorable music in the whole operatic repertoire, including the Duke’s jocular aria La donna è mobile and the sublime quartet Bella figlia dell’amore. Bringing Verdi's masterpiece to life are the conductors Pietro Rizzo and Teresa Riverio Böhm who will be leading WNO Orchestra and Chorus in the popular classic. Supported by an Acting Ensemble, they will be joined by a fantastic international cast, many of whom will be making their WNO Company debut, including Daniel Luis de Vicente (Rigoletto), Raffaele Abete (The Duke), Alyona Abramova (Maddalena), Nathanaël Tavernier (Sparafucile) and Zwakele Tshabalala (Borsa).
A brilliant team of guest creatives will oversee their striking new vision for the production: joining Director Adele Thomas are Set and Costume Designer Annemarie Woods, Lighting Designer Guy Hoare, Choreographer Emma Woods, returning Staff Director Deborah Cohen, and the Intimacy Coordinator Kevin McCurdy and Fight Director Kate Waters.
Make sure you don’t miss out on your opportunity to see WNO’s brand-new production of Rigoletto, opening in Cardiff’s Wales Millennium Centre on 21 September, before touring to Llandudno, Plymouth, Oxford and Southampton this Autumn.
