A gripping, dark, moving Rigoletto from NIO

By Leighton Jones, 01 October 2018

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“Sebastian Catana... a perfect Rigoletto, a fine and captivating actor”

Reviewed at Belfast Grand Opera House, Belfast on 30 September 2018

Verdi, Rigoletto

Northern Ireland Opera

Gareth Hancock, Conductor

Walter Sutcliffe, Director

Kaspar Glarner, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Sebastian Catana, Rigoletto

Nadine Koutcher, Gilda

Davide Giusti, The Duke of Mantua

Taras Berezhansky, Sparafucile

Fleur Barron, Maddalena

Ann Jennings, Giovanna

David Robertson, Count Ceprano

Maria McGrann, Countess Ceprano

John Porter, Borsa

Simon Thorpe, Monterone

Rory Musgrave, Marullo

Rebecca Coffey, Page

Wolfgang Goebbel, Lighting Designer

The Chorus of Northern Ireland Opera

Ulster Orchestra

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Leighton Jones

Leighton has extensive teaching experience from early years to postgraduate level music. Currently he works as a primary music specialist, visiting instrumental teacher and examiner. As a pianist, he was inspired to play after hearing Moura Lympany at a young age and has a large collection of her recordings. Leighton’s postgraduate studies focussed on his interest in 20th-century English orchestral music, with particular study of Britten, Rawsthorne, Walton and Vaughan Williams. A keen choral singer he has developed a comprehensive knowledge of chiefly British choral music.

A gripping, dark, moving Rigoletto from Northern Ireland Opera