Ellen Kent’s Rigoletto

Ellen Kent’s touring performances continually astound with high quality across the board, including an eye-catching painted main stage cloth and stunning stage design in this exciting and accessible version of Verdi’s opera. Baritone Vladimir Dragos was superb as always as Rigoletto, commanding the stage and veering from humour to rage to despair convincingly with a rich, warm, singing voice. Soprano Maria Tonina had a fluttering, piercing and high melodic grace about her as Gilda, sounding at times like a divine musical saw. Her romantic duet with Giorgi Meladze was the musical and emotional high point, with the delicate, quiet harmonies a refreshing change from the throaty bombast of many operas.

Theatre Royal, 17 February 2014

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