Rigoletto

Rigoletto is one of my favourite operas and I have seen many productions over the years, but can’t remember one as impressive as the current OA production.

I had not encountered this production before and it worked very well. It started in Rigoletto’s dressing room, then the set revolved to show the Duke’s party in progress, and later Rigoletto entered from the dressing room. At the end of the first scene, he returned to his dressing room, changed and the set revolved again for him to exit into the street.

It was a nice touch to have Sparafucile appear behind the clothes rack.

The second act showed the inside of Rigoletto’s two story house with Gilda upstairs when he returns home, so the stretch of music when he arrives is nicely filled by her putting out her cigarette and rushing downstairs to greet him.

The Duke trips over a garbage tin before shinnying up the drainpipe into the upstairs window, so he’s already inside before Rigoletto leaves.

Idon’t expect to hear the title role sung as beautifully as it was by the Mongolian baritone, Amartuvshin Enkhbat. His burnished voice was incapable of making an ugly sound, yet he had power to spare. His acting was strong.

Young Australian soprano Stacey Alleaume, a stunning Michaela two years ago, soared above Amartuvshin in their many duets and sang a beautiful “Caro Nome”. Looking like Olivia Newton-John in Grease, she was a vulnerable and youthful Gilda, who captured the torment of this woman, wronged by the man she loves.

The Armenian tenor Liparit Avetisyan impressed with his ease of delivery and thrilling top notes. Bass Roberto Scandiuzzi was an impressive Sparafucile singing with easy power. The ever reliable Sian Sharp made a strong impression as Maddalena.

The male chorus sang with strength and had some clever choreography in the second act. It looked like the hand of revival director Hugh Halliday. The orchestra played well, but did overwhelm the singers on the odd occasion.

This was one out of the box for the national company.

Graham Ford

Photographer: Jeff Busby