Mario Martone's modern and socially charged production of Rigoletto makes a return to the Teatro alla Scala stage in a revival by Marco Monzini. A revolving stage reveals two contrasting sides of society. The powerful, depicted as businessmen or politicians, revel in a luxurious villa in parties with drugs and scantily clad women. On the other side, connected by a guarded door, the disenfranchised live in poverty and dejection in a favela-like neighbourhood. This is where the young women exploited by the rich reside, and where Rigoletto lives, working as a pusher who brings cocaine to the parties. This modern setting aligns with the original libretto more than one might expect: the powerful tolerate Rigoletto for his services – his wit – and because the "Duke" finds him entertaining, yet they utterly despise him.
The only big misstep in Martone's production is the altered ending. The entire plot is set in motion by a curse: Rigoletto mercilessly mocks Monterone, a father whose daughter was groomed and exploited by the gang of libertines, and the grieving father places a curse upon him. This curse is realised when Rigoletto's own daughter is first seduced by the Duke and then killed. Rigoletto is in throes of despair, and the Duke continues his depraved life. This pessimistic, bleak finale is crucial to the drama. Martone, however, departs from this by staging a revolt of the marginalised, who invade the villa and kill the Duke and his entire court. This feels like a cheap and out-of-place resolution, albeit satisfying.
In this revival, the staging often felt overly crowded, with random actions by extras disturbing the emotional focus of the duets. It is unclear if changes were made since the premiere, or if, upon a second viewing, details previously overlooked became more apparent.
Marco Armiliato, a veteran conductor with deep experience in the Italian repertoire, led this revival. His conducting was technically sound, and he provided excellent support to the singers, allowing them space to shine without struggling against the orchestra. However, the entire first act felt sluggish and uninspired, as if his primary concern was merely coordinating the stage and the pit rather than shaping the music. This gave the impression of insufficient rehearsal time. Furthermore, he permitted all the traditional, unwritten high notes, as well as Sparafucile's excessively prolonged low F – a choice that, for this theatre in 2025, is very difficult to understand.
Amartuvshin Enkhbat returned to the title role, his baritone possessing a Verdian quality that is hard to match. The timbre is gorgeous, his Italian pronunciation perfect and his legato simply magical. His delivery of “La-ra, la-ra” was a masterclass in interpretation, conveying a myriad of emotions. The fury of his “Cortigiani” shook the theatre, and his humiliation in “Ebben, piango” was heart-wrenching. However, his acting seemed less convincing than in the initial run, another sign, perhaps, of limited rehearsal time.
Regula Mühlemann sang the role of Gilda, Rigoletto's daughter. Her soprano is light and brilliant, with a sweet, youthful tone – all qualities ideally suited to the part, for which, unfortunately, she seemed miscast. She displayed neither a Verdian style nor a true command of bel canto technique. Her interpretation fell flat, sometimes literally, particularly in the most emotionally charged scenes like “Tutte le feste al tempio”. Nevertheless, her solid breath control supported her valiantly during “Caro nome”, a surprisingly difficult aria where she succeeded in maintaining the dramatic tension.
Gaetano Salas stepped in as the Duke, replacing an ailing Dmitry Korchak. His tenor is luminous and he delivered the high notes with ease. He skillfully portrayed both the Duke's depraved, insensitive nature and a genuine tenderness towards Gilda. His best moment was arguably the love duet with Mühlemann, where the two captured the intense rush of young love. He also delivered a perfectly placed high D flat.
Gianluca Buratto was a commanding Sparafucile. His beautiful, imposing bass resonated powerfully in the duet with Rigoletto, but his finest moment came during the storm trio, one of the evening's highlights. The real water raining down on the stage was somewhat noisy, yet the sound fittingly matched the storm music from the pit. All three singers – Mühlemann, Buratto and Martina Belli as Maddalena – excellently heightened the tension leading to Gilda's murder. Belli's mezzo was both powerful and sensual in the “Bella figlia dell'amore” quartet.
The La Scala male chorus seemed entirely at home in this music. Following the chorus “Scorrendo uniti remota via”, the audience made its one and only attempt to stop the show with a spontaneous, excited applause. Among the rest of the cast, honourable mention goes to Fabrizio Beggi as Monterone, whose powerful bass and intense interpretation left a lasting impression.
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