Viva Verdi-3 - RIGOLETTO - Gaulitanus Choir

The opening prelude is concise and compact yet the passionate and tragic overtones perfectly set the opera’s mood. An unhappy, resentful man (Rob Ricards) reluctantly transforms himself into a jester: Rigoletto.

His beloved daughter, Gilda, interpreted by Maltese soprano Nicola Said, appears in her garden at night with “Caro nome che il mio cor”. She muses on her love for a man who had presented himself as the student Gualtier Malde, but who in reality is the fickle Duke of Mantua. The thrilling coloratura aria fully portrays Gilda’s character: a naïve, innocent, tender and simple girl who looks at love as an ideal (which, ultimately, would transform her into the self-sacrificing heroine she becomes at the end of the opera).

The Duke himself, Mexican tenor Luis Aguilar, appears in “Ella mi fu rapita…Parmi veder le lacrime”. Surrounded by the opulence of his playboy existence, we see a different side to the Duke as he expresses his anger, anxiety and concern over Gilda’s disappearance.

Malta Philharmonic Orchestra | Conductor: Colin Attard

Director: Denise Mulholland | Director of photography: Matthew Muscat Drago

Set Artist: Andrew Borg Wirth | Costume Designer: Luke Azzopardi

(Photo credits: Matthew Muscat Drago | Pierre Louis Attard)

The full episode can be followed on:

Meanwhile, Albert G. Storace’s online review reads:

Rigoletto is the first of that amazing mid-Verdian trilogy of 1851-3 which earned the composer worldwide fame. This trilogy has justly remained a permanent fixture in the international repertoire. In our islands no less.

Well, what a treat it was to savour some of the musical and dramatic delights this masterpiece has to offer. The ominous Prelude to the opera featured actor Rob Ricard as a mute Rigoletto slowly putting on his make-up preparing for his stint of duty at the ducal palace of Mantua. Ricard’s face spoke volumes wearing as he did a very bitter expression: that of a court jester who has to amuse and entertain despite his own personal tragedy. Later in the opera he describes himself as a poor, wretched, deformed and ugly man. With the Prelude’s final bars the mute Rigoletto dons his jester’s headdress and ever bitter fades away

What makes Rigoletto’s life bearable is his only child: the young, beautiful Gilda. Used to the corruption of the debauched ducal

court, Rigoletto is stiflingly over-protective of her. He does not realise that despite all his precautions Gilda has been approached in church by the Duke. Disguised as a student he tells Gilda that his name is Gualtier Maldè.

These are the first words Gilda utters in the garden scene which becomes the aria Caro nome. Nicola Said, bless her, has been endowed with many gifts. Not only does she have a beautiful, crystalline voice but also the looks and acting ability which go into making the role a most convincing one. She was simply on the best form possible and made every word and gesture count. She looked every bit a young woman experiencing her first love.

The unworthy object of her love is the Duke, a cad and a rotter and one of a number of opera characters I like to dislike. Truth be told, Luís Aguilar did not look all that much of a debauched lecher: but the most successful seducers do go about their business like wolves in sheep’s clothing. The aria sung by the tenor was Ella mi fù rapita.. Parmi veder le lachrime. He acts the hurt wooer who (mistakenly) thinks that the object of his desire has been kidnapped by somebody else not the minions he had sent to accomplish the deed. One almost feels sorry for him (said very guardedly here). Yet like a spoilt brat he is only sorry for himself believing he was cheated of his prize. I could never find a redeeming feature in his character…except that elsewhere in the opera Verdi regales him with the cheeky and cynical Questa o quella and La Donna è mobile. Not to worry Luís: you sang with as much heart as that heartless Duke could not muster.

Once again a highly accomplished team was responsible for yet another little gem of a video. The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra under director Colin Attard. The two singers and the actor; Denise Mulholland’s artistic direction, Matthew Muscat Drago’s superb photography on location at Palazzo Palina (Hotel ta’ Cenc); Andrew Borg Wirth and Luke Azzopardi. A very dedicated team to whose final production I’ll be eagerly looking forward next week.

Email:	gaulitanus@gmail.com / gaulitanafestival@gmail.com
Phone:	(+356) 77038971 / 21560200 / 21557593

Viva Verdi-3 – RIGOLETTO

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