Latest news with #Rigoletto
Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Fascism and a clown suit: L.A. Opera's gripping new ‘Rigoletto'
Though mean-spirited, the jester Rigoletto — Verdi's hapless, vengeful hunchback — wins our hearts as the outsider whom a heartless world so often abuses. 'Rigoletto' remains an opera reminding us where to direct our sympathies when authoritarianism remains the alternative. That is not as straightforward as it sounds. Los Angeles Opera has struggled with one insufficient 'Rigoletto' production after another, imported or homegrown. Singers and conductors have been counted on to save the show, and sometimes they have. Last time around, the most interesting contribution was, however scrappy, conductor Matthew Aucoin's idea-rich interpretation. This time, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Saturday night, L.A. Opera unveiled a violent, politically disquieting production in which a tortured jester faces mob rule. If an out-of-control clown gives you the creeps, check out the crowd in cartoon masks meant to disguise evil. Tomer Zvulun, who heads Atlanta Opera, where this production got its start, begins his director's note in the program book with a quote from Alfred Hitchcock: 'There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.' Baritone Quinn Kelsey's gripping 'Rigoletto,' as good as it gets these days, is all bang. The men of the L.A. Opera chorus are terror personified. This is the third time L.A. Opera has turned to cinema for help with 'Rigoletto,' on the surface a spellbinding drama. L.A. Opera in its advertisements likens it to film noir. For the company's first go with the opera in 1993, it approached Peter Medak, who unfortunately bowed out to make the thriller 'Romeo Is Bleeding.' Seven years later, L.A. Opera went Hollywood. Film director Bruce Beresford updated the ducal court of Mantua to present-day Beverly Hills and Venice Beach. But neither cast nor company were up to making it work. Zvulun, who turns to fascist Italy in the years before World War II, counts as his inspirations the films by Federico Fellini and Luis Buñuel. That doesn't do much either. Resources once more fall short. The turntable set, which evokes little of anything, was created for Wolf Trap Opera in Washington, D.C. The chorus' cruelty is fitting, but masks are by now a commonplace movie trope for evil. The Duke, a philanderer, has far less interest in mob rule than in chasing skirts. The party scenes with leggy dancers, meant to be decadent, are inoffensive. But there is violence. Knives are convincing. Zvulun introduces mayhem and murder. Two ghosts make appearances for goosebumps. The lighting (Robert Wierzel) is full-bore noir. The set is mostly dark with characters starkly spotlighted giving the impression of a black-and-white film. A storm scene, one of Verdi's great innovations, is so strongly revealed that it has no need for the added strobe effects. The lighting, in fact, is key. It highlights both the strength of the cast and some of the weaknesses of the production. Kelsey, who has spent a good deal of his career impressively singing the title role around the world, is here weighed down by his costume. Somehow among the elegantly dressed in fascist Italy society, there is this guy in a bright red clown outsider status as a hunchback is instead a costume that presumably serves as scarlet letter or Star of David. Still, the old-fashioned nature of this 'Rigoletto,' along with an excellent cast, saves it. So does James Conlon's conducting, which supplies humanity to Kelsey's fuming anger. It takes a lot to love Rigoletto, who keeps his daughter, Gilda, locked up, although she, of course, sneaks out and falls for the count. Kelsey may lack the warmth of some of the great Rigolettos of the past, but there may not have been any more powerful. The visceral energy of the anger of this guy in a clown suit is the stuff of nightmares. Rigoletto orchestrates his own downfall and Kelsey's horror at the end feels like the unleashing of a new breed of violence. Lisette Oropesa is back as Gilda. In the previous L.A. Opera production she began blandly only to be awakened by the raw meaning of love, singing very prettily all the while. She does so again, the blandness this time all the more superficial and ensuing depth equally greater, the prettiness richer and mattering more. She romanticizes her lover, the Duke disguised as a student, looking in her mirror while applying makeup, as though 'Caro Nome' were 'I Feel Pretty.' But her duets with Rigoletto are pregnant with emotion, and she is stunningly angelic in the end. As the Duke, René Barbera, a light and agreeably lyric tenor, goes his own way. He is overpowered by the chorus, oblivious to all but pleasure. There are many strong voices, notably Peixin Chen, the regal bass who plays the assassin Sparafucile, and Sarah Saturnino, a seductive mezzo-soprano who is his sister, Maddelena, who lures the Duke. This 'Rigoletto' closes Conlon's penultimate season as L.A. Opera music director. Seemingly born to conduct Verdi, Conlon can whip up as much dramatic excitement as anyone might need. But he has in recent years taken a more expansive approach to Verdi. His restraint and reserved pacing classes up some of the cheaper tricks of the production and, more important, gives perspective to it most powerful ones. Listening to the elegant orchestra, the clown suit didn't seem so bad. After 32 years of failed attempts, L.A. Opera has finally moved the 'Rigoletto' needle in the right direction.
Miami Herald
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Florida Chamber Orchestra spotlights opera's next generation
The Florida Chamber Orchestra, led by conductor Marlene Urbay, is giving audiences a glimpse into the future of opera with up-and-comers from South Florida. The nave at St. Dominic Catholic Parish in Miami will resonate with their powerful voices in 'Echoes of Tomorrow' at 8 p.m. on Sunday. Part of the Miami-Dade County Auditorium's 'Away From Home' series—an initiative bringing the arts to unexpected venues during the auditorium's renovation—'Echoes of Tomorrow' will feature vocalists from the studio of tenor and vocal coach Manny Pérez. The performers—Josue Brizuela, Claudia Céspedes, Ana Collado, Mayara García, London Gutiérrez, Dalila Lugo, Silvio Plata, and Isaac Rodríguez—represent a wide spectrum of backgrounds, stories, and ambitions. They'll be performing selections from 'Rigoletto,' 'La Bohème,' 'Così fan tutte,' 'María La O,' 'L'elisir d'amore,' and 'Cecilia Valdés.' Plata, a 21-year-old tenor born in Nicaragua and raised in Miami, this performance is deeply personal. 'Classical music became my greatest passion,' he says. 'It started as a hobby, but everything changed when I was offered a full scholarship to the University of Miami. I felt like life was giving me a sign.' The young singer who lost his sight as a child due to retinal cancer, feels music as a lifeline and a new way of perceiving the world. 'I was just a year or two old when my parents had to make the decision to remove both of my eyes. We had no resources, and the community came together to help us. Music gave me a way to give something back—something that brings peace, joy, and comfort.' He describes music as a sixth sense. 'Every song, every opera tells a story. It's how I understand emotions, how I understand my surroundings. Even though I lost my vision, music gave me a new way of seeing.' Also taking the stage is a 20-year-old Cuban-American soprano currently studying at Juilliard. 'Opera wasn't something I grew up with,' Lugo admits. 'My parents are not musicians—my dad, Blas Lugo, is actually a former international chess master. Music just wasn't part of my heritage.' Still, she recalls singing constantly as a child. Her parents encouraged it, even if they didn't always understand it. 'I was humming and singing in the car all the time. When I was seven, I started voice lessons with an opera singer, and it completely changed my path.' Along with a fierce commitment to mastering her voice, her love of opera deepened through years of study with Cuban-American colatura soprano Eglise Gutiérrez, also a student of Perez's. Now a student at one of the most prestigious conservatories in the world, Lugo finds opera to be more relevant than ever. 'People think opera is old-fashioned or inaccessible, but it tells real stories about real people. It's more relatable than people realize.' She also sees her participation in 'Echoes of Tomorrow' as a way to bridge generations. 'This concert makes opera accessible. It invites people in without intimidating them. And that's how we keep this art form alive.' Her performance of Ernesto Lecuona's 'Siboney' promises to be a highlight. 'I love coming back to Miami to sing songs in Spanish. In New York, I rarely hear zarzuela or Latin American art songs. Here, it feels like home.' At the heart of it all is Urbay, whose artistic leadership has shaped the Florida Chamber Orchestra into one of the few fully professional chamber ensembles in South Florida. As the orchestra approaches its 30th anniversary in 2026, 'Echoes of Tomorrow' is also a reflection of her enduring legacy. The daughter of acclaimed Cuban conductor Jose Ramon Urbay, Marlene came to Miami in 1991 as a political refugee with a distinguished international résumé but few professional prospects. She graduated from the University of Miami in the mid-1990s, rebuilding her credentials in a new country. 'None of the doors opened for me,' she recalls. 'So I did the only thing I knew how to do: I started my own orchestra.' Now 61, Urbay has led the Florida Chamber Orchestra for nearly three decades. Made up of 30 local musicians who also perform with the Florida Grand Opera and Miami City Ballet orchestras, Palm Beach Symphony and the Naples Philharmonic, the orchestra's programming often blends classical repertoire with Latin American and Cuban music to reach wider audiences. 'One thing that makes us different,' she says, 'is that we don't only perform Beethoven—we also play Lecuona.' Her mission has always included creating space for new generations of musicians. 'I've presented talented young performers every season,' she explains. 'Whether it's a pianist at age eleven or a young singer just starting out—these are the future voices of music.' But running a professional orchestra hasn't been easy. 'They don't teach you how to be an entrepreneur in music school,' says Urbay. 'I had to learn how to raise money, how to build an audience, how to keep going even when resources were scarce. And being a Latina woman in this field? That's another challenge altogether.' Still, her resilience and vision have endured, as she explains: 'We've carved out our own identity. Our audience knows who we are. And this concert is proof that the future of opera isn't just alive—it's thriving.' If you go: WHAT: 'Echoes of Tomorrow' by the Florida Chamber Orchestra as part of the Miami-Dade County Auditorium's 'Away From Home' series. WHERE: St. Dominic Catholic Parish. 5909 NW 7th St., Miami WHEN: 8 p.m. Sunday, June 1. COST: $40, general admission, $50 VIP for first to fifth row. INFORMATION: 305-993-9855 or visit is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don't miss a story at
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Business of the Week: Tri-Cities Opera
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Tri-Cities Opera is the Greater Binghamton Chamber Business of the Week. TCO is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. It was founded by Carmen Savoca and Peyton Hibbit and has been a training ground for up and coming opera singers for decades. It stages several major productions each season including yesterday's performance of Rigoletto at the Forum. TCO has a large facility on Clinton Street in Binghamton where it rehearses and puts on some of its productions. The building also houses a large costume shop, set shop and storage for roughly 20 sets that it rents out to other companies across the country. Marketing Director Cate Berger says Tri-Cities Opera is committed to both honoring the classics as well as exploring the new. 'Yes, this is a wonderful, historic art form. But we are telling stories. Some of them are classic and some of them are new. It's more likely than not there will be some interest and so you should come and experience it with us,' Berger said. The TCO season still has 2 events left. On Saturday May 10th at 3 p.m. at the Opera Center, it will present the Pocket Opera Project. And then Opera and Beer May 20th and 22nd at Factory by Beer Tree Brew. More information at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
For one night only, Tri-Cities Opera presents: Rigoletto
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – This weekend, for one night only, a former Binghamton resident artist is returning to the Tri-Cities Opera as Rigoletto. TCO is performing Verdi's Rigoletto this Sunday at the Broome County Forum Theatre. Tim LeFebvre plays Rigoletto, who is a deformed, hunchback, entertaining, court jester and a father. LeFebvre started his career with the Tri-Cities Opera, staying for 20 years before touring around the country. And now in his return, this marks his 4th production of Rigoletto. Margaretville teen charged with rape, accused of recording without consent For one night only, Tri-Cities Opera presents: Rigoletto One charged with manslaughter following Harpersfield fatal crash investigation Our warmest day this week is here with more sunshine under high pressure Missing Endicott man found safe in Binghamton 'Both brilliant vocal writing and dramatic intention. And so, I think that makes it really appealing for audiences to come and see a story, told in musical form. With amazing orchestra. And it really is something that people can identify with because the characters are human. I mean, they really can identify with what we're going through with our relationships on the stage and how this would play out,' LeFebvre said. The show is performed in Italian with English subtitles. Sunday's show is a matinee, beginning at 3 p.m. and there is an intermission. You can buy your tickets at the door, or online at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Age
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Dianne dumped a deluge, now this diva will storm the outback
Considered by many to be the world's best coloratura (or quick and virtuosic) soprano, Sumi Jo made her operatic debut as Gilda in Verdi's Rigoletto in 1986 and would go on to be famous for her Queen of the Night in Mozart's The Magic Flute and the title role in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. She has appeared at La Scala, Covent Garden, the Metropolitan Opera, and even once sang in the arrivals hall of Washington Dulles International Airport for an audience of dubious customs officers. 'I was very young, and I'm a tiny little Asian girl, and they simply couldn't believe that I was able to sing opera,' she recalls with a laugh. For the Festival of Outback Opera, Sumi Jo will perform under the stars at a cattle station near Longreach, and on a prehistoric plateau called the Jump-Up at the Age of Dinosaurs Museum outside of Winton. The dinosaur museum was cut off for days in the floods and spectacular waterfalls formed, but the location, with its fossils and life-size creature models, is ready to host its signature concert on May 15. 'What they're doing is really, really special, so I was very happy that they invited me,' Sumi Jo says. 'Sumi Jo is a phenomenal artist,' says Nolan. 'She's renowned for her technique and her capacity to sing extraordinarily complex melodies. 'Despite being one of the great divas of our time, she is remarkably down to earth, with a sense of fun and a commitment to ensuring the audience are having a good time. I think she will fit right into the festival.' The festival is in its fifth year and firmly established as a leading event in outback Queensland, drawing visitors from far and wide as well as enthusiastic locals. In addition to the two major concerts, there is a lavish lunch, an Opera Ball, a trivia night, a community singalong, and a celebration of opera and country music titled Are You Lonesome Tonight? As an added attraction this year, the recent flooding means the region's usually arid landscapes will be lush and green. 'You will never see this region look as beautiful as it will be in the next couple of weeks,' White says. 'It'll be full of wild flowers, the birdlife has come back … The outback is open for business.' While she has not sung in the outback before, Sumi Jo is no stranger to Australia, having performed at the Sydney Opera House many times. Loading Late Australian soprano Joan Sutherland was an enormous inspiration to her, and she recorded her 1994 album Carnaval under the baton of Sutherland's husband Richard Bonynge. 'As soon as we finished the recording, [Sutherland] invited me to her home in Switzerland,' Sumi Jo recalls. 'She cooked dinner and said she was quite jealous – 'oh my God, Richard never gave these songs!' – obviously she was making a joke. 'I became a coloratura because of her, because of her recordings.'
