
OPERA
Rigoletto
SCHEDULE
2022/2023 SEASON

New Production
Music by Giuseppe VERDI
Opera in 3 Acts
Sung in Italian with English and Japanese surtitles
OPERA PALACE
Production of ABAO Bilbao Opera
18 May - 3 Jun, 2023 ( 6 Performances )
Running time is 2 hours and 40 mins including an interval.
DETAILS
This season sees the new production of Verdi's mid-career masterpiece Rigoletto. This heart-breaking story unfolds around Rigoletto, the court jester, his beautiful and innocent daughter Gilda, and a womaniser noble Il Duca di Mantova. The score has numerous familiar pieces, including "La donna è mobile", "Caro nome" and "Cortigliani, vil razza dannata", and the quartetto "Bella figlia dell'amore" in Act 3.
This production by Emilio SAGI was co-produced between the ABAO Bilbao Opera and São Carlos National Theatre and was also performed at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia. It is a highly successful, contemporary look at this drama and exposing the characters' pathos.
The title role is performed by Roberto FRONTALI, a renowned Verdi baritone. The role of Gilda is performed by the highly acclaimed coloratura soprano Hasmik TOROSYAN, who attracted our audience with her charming performance of Norina in Don Pasquale (2019). Iván AYÓN RIVAS makes his house debut as Il Duca, having previously performed the role in Florence, Rome and Torino. With Italian maestro Maurizio BENINI taking up the baton, this promises to be a performance opera fans will not want to miss.
NEWS & FEATURES
Interview: Roberto Frontali on "Rigoletto"
Cast change : Rigoletto (18 May - 3 June) / Role of Rigoletto
2022/2023 Season Opera at the New National Theatre, Tokyo
SYNOPSIS
Mantova in northern Italy in the 16th century. The Duke of Mantova, the lord of the manor, is busy philandering as he seduces Countess Ceprano at a ball. Rigoletto, his jester, helps the Duke to satisfy his desire, but Count Monterone, whose daughter was dishonorably seduced by the Duke, appears and curses Rigoletto, shouting, "You will pay dearly for your sins before long."
Meanwhile, courtiers for the Duke Mantova, who suppose Gilda to be Rigoletto's kept mistress, kidnap her out of their long-cherished vengeance on Rigoletto and present her to the Duke. In a rage, Rigoletto engages Sparafucile, a professional assassin, to kill the Duke. Having learned this, Gilda immediately decides to sacrifice herself and falls victim to the assassin's dagger. Rigoletto, having received a sack containing a corpse in exchange for money, is appalled to hear the Duke singing cheerfully from a distance. He hastily opens the sack only to find the dead body of his beloved daughter.
VIDEO
CREATIVE TEAM & CAST
CREATIVE TEAM
Conductor: Maurizio BENINI
Production: Emilio SAGI
Set Design: Ricardo SÁNCHEZ CUERDA
Costume Design: Miguel CRESPÍ
Choreographer: Nuria CASTEJÓN
Lighting Design: Eduardo BRAVO
CAST
Rigoletto: Roberto FRONTALI
Gilda: Hasmik TOROSYAN
Il duca di Mantova: Iván AYÓN RIVAS
Sparafucile: TSUMAYA Hidekazu
Maddalena: SHIMIZU Kasumi
Il conte di Monterone: SUDO Shingo
Giovanna: MORIYAMA Kyoko
Marullo: TOMOKIYO Takashi
Borsa: MASUJIMA Tadahiro
Il conte di Ceprano: YOSHIKAWA Kenichi
La Contessa di Ceprano: SATO Michiko
Chorus: New National Theatre Chorus
Orchestra: Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra
- CREATIVE TEAM
- CAST
-
Conductor
Maurizio BENINI
ProductionEmilio SAGI
-
Rigoletto
Roberto FRONTALI
GildaHasmik TOROSYAN
Il duca di MantovaIván AYÓN RIVAS
SparafucileTSUMAYA Hidekazu
MaddalenaSHIMIZU Kasumi
Il conte di MonteroneSUDO Shingo
TICKETS
Booking Opens: Sat, 11 Mar 2023, 10:00am
*The tickets will be sold for all seats as normal (except the seats in rows 1-2 on the 1st Floor).
Booking Z seats (Day tickets) 1,650 yen
- You are able to purchase Z seat tickets online from 10:00 am. Click "BUY TICKETS" next to "Z" under each performance information.
- There is a handling charge of ¥330 (incl. tax).
- Only when seats allocated as Z seat are still available at 11:00 am, you are able to purchase these tickets at the Box Office of the theatre.
- Note that all Z seats are on a first come, first served basis and will come with restricted views.
Concession Prices
Under 15s discounts and Z seats (Day Tickets) are available online. Other types of discount tickets are not available online. Please inquire at the Box Office or by telephone.
*Please note that further changes or cancellations may be required as the coronavirus situation develops or to comply with requests from the Government.
Please Note
- For Seat D of Opera performances, maximum of 2 tickets per person on the first day of ticket sale.
- No admittance to pre-school children. Each child older than this age requires a ticket for entry, even when accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- Tickets may not be changed or refunded except in the case of a cancelled performance.
- A special discount price is available for disabled guests. Please inquire at the Box Office for details.
- Users of wheelchairs are requested to contact the Box Office.
- Please note that cast or programme change may be required depending on the situation.