A dark and disturbing Rigoletto from WNO at the Mayflower

Daniel Luis de Vicente (Rigoletto)

Alistair Moore (Marullo) and cast of Rigoletto

Soraya Mafi (Gilda), Raffaele Abete (The Duke of Mantua)

Rigoletto

de Vicente (Rigoletto), Abramova (Maddalena), Abete (Duke), Mafi (Gilda)

By David Truslove, 17 November 2024

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“to interpret this tale of seduction, betrayal and murder through the lens of Jacobean tragedy”

Reviewed at Mayflower Theatre, Southampton on 14 November 2024

Verdi, Rigoletto

Welsh National Opera

Pietro Rizzo, Conductor

Adele Thomas, Director

Welsh National Opera Orchestra

Welsh National Opera Chorus

Daniel Luis de Vicente, Rigoletto

Soraya Mafi, Gilda

Raffaele Abete, The Duke of Mantua

Alyona Abramova, Maddalena

Nathanaël Tavernier, Sparafucile

Sian Meinir, Giovanna

Paul Carey Jones, Monterone

Emma Woods, Choreography

A magnificent Tosca from Welsh National Opera at the Mayflower

David Truslove, 3rd October

WNO imports Edward Dick’s exceptionally fine production, which benefits from from superb casting and outstanding performances led by Natalya Romaniw.

*****

Bancroft and BBCNOW at the Proms: a deeply satisfying Mahler 3

David Karlin, 11th August

Bancroft and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales provide a Mahler 3 of exceptional clarity and forward momentum, with terrific posthorn solos from Corey Morris and Beth Taylor an outstanding soloist.

****1

WNO stages Death in Venice for the first time and it’s a triumph

Mark Valencia, 7th March

Olivia Fuchs solves the problems of Britten's thorny opera in a brilliant new production that hits the heights, featuring Mark Le Brocq as earthbound scholar, Gustav von Aschenbach.

*****

Musical performances keep WNO's new Così afloat

Mark Valencia, 6th March

Max Hoehn takes Così‘s subtitle, La scuola degli amanti (The School for Lovers), and connects it to Monty Python’s sex education sketch in The Meaning of Life. What larks, eh?

***11

Stacey Alleaume leads WNO's emotionally-charged Traviata

David Truslove, 24th November

Leading an international cast in a still-sumptuous revival in Southampton's Mayflower, Stacey Alleaume gives a sovereign performance as the ill-fated courtesan Violetta.

****1

Osvaldo Golijov's Ainadamar revived by WNO for its 2023 tour

Mark Valencia, 9th September

Deborah Colker's production, seen last season at Scottish Opera, moves to the Wales Millennium Centre for an autumn tour.

****1

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David Truslove

After many years as a musician – conducting choirs, singing as a lay clerk at Winchester Cathedral and an involvement in education, David now writes programme notes, occasionally composes and enjoys a busy schedule of reviewing.

A dark and disturbing Rigoletto from Welsh National Opera at Mayflower Theatre