Rigoletto

Rigoletto

Verdi

Full of melodies that are now the musical backdrop of modern life, Verdi’s Rigoletto is one of the world’s best-loved operas. Jonathan Miller’s production is the godfather of the genre. Set in Little Italy in 1950’s New York, it is a terrific night out: a fast-paced gangster saga of jealously, love and revenge.

The story

The title character is a wise-cracking mobster who uses words as weapons. But he shoots his mouth off once too often and a misplaced joke sparks a deadly vendetta. Now the joke’s on Rigoletto as the depraved Duke seduces his daughter, Gilda. Rigoletto vows to avenge her honour and his family name.

The score

Verdi’s score features some of the most familiar and recognisable music in all opera. ‘La donna è mobile’ – ‘Women abandon us’ – has been taken up by everyone from film producers to Venetian gondoliers, entering the popular imagination. So, as well as the excitement of the gangster staging, expect to be left humming those memorable melodies for the next week or two.