Verdi's Rigoletto.m4a

Verdi's Rigoletto
Opera on 3, Live from the Met

Opera on 3's Live from the Met season begins with Verdi's Rigoletto, based on a controversial play by Victor Hugo, 'Le roi s'amuse'. It tells of the Duke of Mantua's hunchbacked jester and outsider, Rigoletto, who has brought up his daughter Gilda, soprano Nadine Sierra, in seclusion from the world. Rigoletto, sung by baritone Zeljiko Lucic, is cursed by the father of one of the Duke's victims after he mocks him - but the curse seems to take effect when the Duke, star tenor Piotr Beczala, seduces Rigoletto's innocent daughter Gilda.

Presented by Mary Jo Heath and commentator Ira Siff.

Gilda..... Nadine Sierra (soprano)
Maddalena..... Nancy Fabiola Herrera (mezzo-soprano)
The Duke of Mantua..... Piotr Beczala (tenor)
Rigoletto..... Željko Lucic (baritone)
Sparafucile..... Dimitry Ivashchenko (bass)

The Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera
The Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera
Roberto Abbado (conductor).

Broadcast: 12 December 2015
Duration: 3 hours 30 minutes