Rigoletto WNO, Theatre Royal Plymouth, 17 October 2024,

4✩✩✩✩. Review: Indigo Cleverley.

“An enjoyable performance with talented performers and wonderful music but feels unfinished and rushed at times.”

Theatre Royal Plymouth welcomes this striking new WNO production of Verdi’s ‘Rigoletto’ to The Lyric stage this week. One of Giuseppe Verdi’s best known operas, Rigoletto explores themes of class divide, debauchery and revenge and is based on Victor Hugo’s tragedy ‘Le Roi s’amuse’ first performed in 1832 but banned after one evening by the government due to censors believing the play contained insulting references to King Louis-Philippe. Despite similar initial problems with censors calling out the ‘revolting immorality and obscene triviality’ of the libretto, Rigoletto had its world premiere on 11th March 1851 at La Fenice, Venice.

This tragedy revolves around the morally corrupt Duke of Mantua, his jester Rigoletto and his cherished daughter ‘Gilda’. After mocking Monterone, a statesman, a curse if placed on Rigoletto.

Back at Rigoletto’s safe-house, it is discovered that Gilda has fallen in love with an unnamed man whom she saw at church, falling victim to the Duke’s trickery and catalysing a chain of tragic events.

Beginning with a raucous scene of transparent hedonism and cavalier attitudes, we are propelled into the performance by a flood of colourfully over-dressed Lords and Ladies establishing the setting and mood before any singing begins. One choice which makes this production stand out is the strength of the acting and characterisation which develops a stronger audience connection and understanding of their internal conflicts and emotions. This is aided by the performers’ strength in acting - perfectly balancing poignant facial expressions without jeopardising vocal performance.

Daniel Luis De Vicente’s ‘Rigoletto’ is almost caricature in his role as the ‘tragic hero’, emphasised by the cabaret-like makeup and exaggerated physicality and gestures. However, Daniel Luis De Vicente brings a tender, piteous nature to the character and the emotional turmoil he experiences as the performance progresses, through raw, confessional arias, delivered to the audience.

Rigoletto’s treasured daughter Gilda (Soraya Mafi) is both a naive and strong-willed female character and Mafi admirably adds levels of complexity and versatility through palpable facial expressions and body language. Raffaele Abete’s interpretation of The Duke of Mantua captures the character’s charisma and arrogance with excellent comedic timing and delivery of the famously catchy ‘La donna è mobile’ (Woman is fickle). Professional assassin Sparafucile (Nathanaël Tavernier) brings an ominous presence every time he enters the stage - emphasised through his incredibly low register. Sparafucile’s sister ‘Maddalena’ (Alyona Abramova) initially appears menacing but in Act 3 reveals a softer side, another victim of The Duke’s charm.

Director Adele Thomas cites inspiration from Shakespeare - particularly Jacobean theatre - for this production which manifests itself through the use of dramatic irony and aspects of a ‘tragicomedy’. Although I can understand Thomas’ intentions, I feel it was somewhat undeveloped and could have played on darker themes more to maintain the pace and stay true to the social commentary intended by Hugo and Verdi originally ; the final scene doesn’t come as a shock to audiences and leaves a sense of dissatisfaction.

Designer Annemarie Woods stays loyal to the original performance time period - 19th century - with extravagant displays of the female body with corset waistlines and excessively wide skirts. The higher status characters have a clear contrast with the lower status, establishing the power dynamics and class divides of which this libretto deplores.

Conductor Teresa Riveiro Böhm flawlessly accompanies the rise and fall of tension through dynamic variations and pauses to exacerbate key moments and delicacy of emotions. The lighting design - Guy Hoare - adds little to the overall production, remaining slightly static aside from the ‘lightning’ in Act 3 which is composed of flashing bright white light at the audience unaccompanied. I struggled to understand this decision, the lack of sound - which would usually be the frightening boom which makes you jump - diminished the significance and I only knew there was a storm when a character mentioned it.

WNO has faced ‘increasing financial challenges’ over the last 4 years with Arts Council England reducing funding by 35% in 2024 and the company were planning to strike in late September over proposed pay cuts and redundancies however decided to go ahead with the opening night of this production. With these significant financial setbacks, we’re lucky to be able to watch Rigoletto and see these performers excel at what they love doing.

Overall, Rigoletto is an enjoyable performance with talented performers and wonderful music however feels somewhat unfinished and rushed at times.

Cast

Rigoletto – Daniel Luis de Vicente

Gilda – Soraya Mafi

The Duke – Raffaele Abete

Sparafucile – Nathanaël Tavernier

Maddalena – Alyona Abramova

Monterone – Paul Carey Jones

Borsa – Zwakele Tshabalala

Count Ceprano – Martin Lloyd

Marullo – Alastair Moore

Giovanna – Siân Meinir

Page – Francesca Saracino

Usher – Julian Boyce

Ensembe – Matthew Lloyd, Gerald Tyler, Edward Kirby, Tom O’Gorman, Dafydd Weeks, Meredith Lewis, Jessica Handley Greaves, Sarah Pope, Monika Sawa, Stella Woodman

Creatives

Conductor – Teresa Riviero Böhm

Director – Adele Thomas

Designer – Annemarie Woods

Lighting Designer – Guy Hoare

Choreographer – Emma Woods

Composed by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave after the play by Victor Hugo