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RIGOLETTO Music by Giuseppe
Verdi. Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on Victor Hugo's play
"Le Roi S'amuse". Sung in Italian, Performed by the Welsh National
Opera, at the Apollo Theatre, Rigoletto is the first opera of the so-called "trilogia popolare" of Rigoletto, Il Trovatore and La Traviata. While Rigoletto is usually set in Renaissance Mantua, Italy, Theatre Director James Macdonald has given it a new twist, by moving the scene from the tamer Italian setting to a 1960's Washington DC JFK-esque political hothouse. Ironically the focus on celebrity, womanising, a curse on the family and general political shenanigans is probably more in line with Verdi's original aim for the Opera, which was written during times of an anti-Austrian political upheaval. It was seen as contributing towards the feeling of uprising and subsequently censored by the Hapsburgs. It was then censored further by the librettist Piave, its setting being moved from France to Italy, central characters being changed to try and tame it down. This version remains true to the original story, set around the theme of a ultimately tragic curse. Rigoletto (Chen-Ye Yuan) is the social upstart who loves mocking the courtiers surrounding the duke (Gwyn Hughes Jones). His caustic wit leads him to insult Count Monterone (Alan Fairs), an old man whose daughter is subject to the latest infidelity of the Duke. Monterone subsequently retorts angrily with a "father's curse", which plays through the rest of the Opera and haunts Rigoletto for the rest of his days. Rigoletto, deeply protective of his own daughter (Celene Shafer), keeps her hidden away from other men, and the subsequent cases of mistaken identity eventually leads to the tragic end of the story, as typified in most ofVerdi's work. Gwyn Hughes Jones has a great Baritone voice as the duke, and while not quite the Adonis he is supposed to be, came across as suitably sleazy and duplicitous. Chen-Ye Yuen made a sinister yet sympathetic Rigoletto, standing out from the suited courtiers with his jester like clothing and pronounced limp. Soprano Celene Shafer was a suitably convincing simpering Gilda, with a moving filial display of emotion in the final scenes. The Welsh
National Opera successfully add a visual twist to the original tale, while
giving strong vocal and musical performances throughout. The set design
is excellent with clever use of perspective and the Capitol Building all
contributing towards a most enjoyable spectacle. It is definitely worth
catching the next performance while they are in town (Saturday the 22nd
of June at the Apollo). Alistair Power 18.06.02 |