Jonathan Miller’s Rigoletto, Godfather of opera productions, returns

Weston Hurt (Rigoletto) and David Kempster (Monterone)

Amy Holyland (Maddalena) and Yongzhao Yu (Duke of Mantua)

Weston Hurt (Rigoletto) and Robyn Allegra Parton (Gilda)

Yongzhao Yu (Duke of Mantua)

Yongzhao Yu (Duke), Joanne Appleby (Countess Ceprano) and ENO Chorus

By Mark Valencia, 31 October 2024

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“Weston Hurt impressed in the title role with his detailed exploration of the biter bitten”

Reviewed at The London Coliseum, London on 30 October 2024

Verdi, Rigoletto

English National Opera

Richard Farnes, Conductor

Sir Jonathan Miller, Director

Patrick Robertson, Set Designer

Rosemary Vercoe, Costume Designer

Robert Bryan, Lighting Designer

English National Opera Orchestra

English National Opera Chorus

Elaine Tyler-Hall, Revival Director

Weston Hurt, Rigoletto

Robyn Allegra Parton, Gilda

Yongzhao Yu, The Duke of Mantua

William Thomas, Sparafucile

Amy Holyland, Maddalena

David Kempster, Monterone

Patrick Alexander Keefe, Marullo

Edwin Kaye, Count Ceprano

Joanne Appleby, Countess Ceprano

Sarah-Jane Lewis, Giovanna

Thomas Elwin, Borsa

ENO’s Mahagonny: biting, bleak, brilliantly executed satire

David Karlin, 16th February

Never has Brecht and Weill’s satire on the inhumanity of man to man been render with such utter darkness; Simon O’Neill heads up a superb cast.

*****

Taken for a ride: an energetic revival of Così fan tutte at ENO

Dominic Lowe, 6th February

English National Opera's revival of Phelim McDermott’s popular production is a blend of spectacle with some first-class singing, with Lucy Crowe emphasising her Mozartian credentials.

****1

Cocteau-esque camp: Alden’s Partenope returns to ENO

Mark Valencia, 20th November

Christopher Alden’s Olivier Award-winning production of Handel’s Partenope returns to the Coliseum, but it's the singing that earns the plaudits.

****1

Dead Man Walking at English National Opera: a superb execution

David Karlin, 1st November

Anneliese Miskimmon's ENO production of Jake Heggie and Terence McNally's tale of crime, repentance, compassion and redemption compels from start to finish.

*****

Comedy falls flat in ENO's season opening Cinderella

Mark Valencia, 27th September

Julia Burbach and her designer, Herbert Murauer, are defeated by the wide canyons of the Coliseum stage in their modern-dress Cinderella.

**111

ENO gives Thea Musgrave's Mary, Queen of Scots a worthy performance

Nick Boston, 15th February

Musgrave's powerful depiction of a powerful woman at the mercy of male manipulation receives a strong staging from at ENO.

****1

More reviews...

Mark Valencia

Mark has worked in arts journalism for four decades, both as a writer and as a French-English translator. Nowadays he focuses his energies on reviewing opera and music. Mark also writes for Opera magazine and for Musical America as a correspondent for Europe and the UK.

Jonathan Miller’s Rigoletto, Godfather of opera productions, returns to ENO