Verdi: Rigoletto - Royal Opera House (2021) [Blu-ray]

Rigoletto is the sharp-tongued jester to the serial womaniser, the Duke of Mantua. But when the Duke turns his seductive ways towards Rigoletto’s daughter, Gilda, the jester learns that he is powerless to protect her. What follows is an epic tale of deceit, revenge and, above all, love.

Director Oliver Mears makes his Royal Opera debut with his ‘thrilling new production’ (The Times ★★★★), which frames Verdi’s masterpiece as a modern morality play, pitting power against innocence in a decadent world of corruption and social decay. Antonio Pappano conducts an outstanding cast that includes an ‘utterly compelling’ Carlos Álvarez in the title role, Lisette Oropesa as ‘a matchless Gilda’ (The Guardian ★★★★) and tenor Liparit Avetisyan as the Duke of Mantua.

Verdi’s epic masterpiece shines in this new production from The Royal Opera.

“A great evening, rapturously received” – The Independent ★★★★★

“A thrilling new production... It’s all reassuringly authentic.” – The Times ★★★★★

“Antonio Pappano was in full command” – Evening Standard ★★★★

“A strong showing for an often striking production” – Bachtrack ★★★★

“Oropesa is a matchless Gilda in powerful new take on Verdi’s tragedy... a powerful piece of theatre, strong on Shakespearean resonances and irony: we’re reminded more than once that Rigoletto is the closest we get to the King Lear that Verdi always said he wanted to write but never did…” – The Guardian ★★★★