Rigoletto - Royal Opera House - Live

Showing on Tuesday 17th April at 20:15

David McVicar's lively, colourful production of Verdi's great tragic opera - live from the Royal Opera House.

Court jester Rigoletto is kept by the rich, dissolute, womanising Duke of Mantua. He tries to protect his innocent daughter Gilda from this heartless seducer. But when he learns that the duke's courtiers have abducted her, the tormented Rigoletto resolves to avenge himself upon his employer. Based on Victor Hugo's play 'Le roi s'amuse', Verdi's classic opera was hugely controversial back in 1850, when works depicting the nobility in such a poor light were considered unacceptable. After much negotiation with the censor, 'Rigoletto' was finally premiered in Venice and went on to become an international triumph. First seen in 2001, David McVicar's refreshingly explicit production benefits from Tanya McCallin's beautiful period costumes and Michael Vale's starkly effective sets. Together, they breathe new life into Verdi's exploration of love, betrayal and the most exquisite revenge.

Giuseppe Verdi | Opera in three acts

Sung in Italian

Rigoletto - Dimitri Platanias

Marullo - ZhengZhong Zhou

Gilda - Ekaterina Siurina

Count Monterone - Gianfranco Montresor

Duke of Mantua - Vittorio Grigolo

Giovanna - Elizabeth Sikora

Matteo Borsa - Pablo Bemsch

Page - Andrea Hazell

Count Ceprano - Jihoon Kim

Countess Ceprano - Louise Armit

Court Usher - Nigel Cliffe

Maddalena - Christine Rice

Royal Opera Chorus

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Conductor - John Eliot Gardiner

Set design - Michael Vale

Stage Director - David McVicar

Costume designs - Tanya McCallin