Conductor
Alexander Briger
Original Director
Jonathan Miller
Revival Director
Elaine Tyler-Hall
Designers
Patrick Robertson
Rosemary Vercoe
Lighting Revived By
Mike Gunning
Choreographer
Tommy Shaw
English Translation
James Fenton
Rigoletto
Alan Opie
The Duke
Peter Auty
Gilda
Judith Howarth
Sparafucile
Brindley Sherratt
Maddalena
Leah-Marian Jones
Monterone
Hans-Peter
Scheidegger
Marullo
David Stephenson
Borsa
Scott Davies
Ceprano
Paul Reeves
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Rigoletto
by Guiseppe Verdi
London Coliseum
English National Opera
9 Feb - 18 March 2006
Jonathon Miller's Rigoletto moves the action of Verdi's opera from the paranoid, back-stabbing, vendetta strewn court of a sixteenth century Italian Duke to the paranoid, back- stabbing, vendetta strewn court of a 1950s Mafia boss in New York's Little Italy. It's a neat fit and works particularly well for the English National Opera with its traditional scorn for tradition and reliance on the English language. In fact, so neat a fit that this is a production in its 11th revival in 23 years, running in tandem now with a comparatively sprightly Jonathan Miller Mikado only just reached maturity at 18 years old. If it's irony that the good fellas and the Lord High Executioner are holding sway at a riven, decapitated Company without Chairman or Artistic Director, then - for the audience of Rigoletto atleast it's a happy one.
The opera still seems sharp and fresh guided by the faultless confidence and perfect annunciation of Alan Opie as the hunch-back and backed by a mafioso chorus as quick and clear as the crack of a whip. The Hopper-esque bar where the final scene takes place is still beautifully atmospheric, the old trick of bumping juke-box to kick off 'La donna e mobile' still raises a laugh and a sigh and Gilda imprisoned in a New York tenement with thugs lurking in the darkened alley still convinces - it could be Tony Soprano's 'Nonna' that Rigoletto is hiding in there. In fact, though the cocktail lounge of the first Act could do with a bit of mobbing-up, the most dated feeling comes from seeing the chorus smoking cigarettes on stage; how long before that's stubbed out?
Judith Haworth sings her first Gilda in this production. She has a fine voice but in contrast to Alan Opie she does not seem to be able to sing the words, so one finds oneself flicking up to the surtitles above the stage. Her acting is fairly lifeless but she raised the audience with her 'Tutte le feste'. Peter Auty is also making his debut as the Duke, bequiffed and shiny-suited he strikes a chubby rock and roll figure and is thoroughly enjoyable in the role. Though he lacks the menace and mastery one wants from the sexually predatory Duke, he compensates with charm. His occasionally tentative tenor was sometimes lost in a battle with a too enthusiastic orchestra, but he really tackled his arias with verve and red blooded charisma. His 'morning after' (Parmi veder le lagrime) at the start of Act II was magnificent.
Brindley Sherrat impressed as a gothically depraved Sparafucile but throughout this production it was the surefooted limp and lurch of Alan Opie's hunchback that lead the way. A joker, a murderer, a victim, a cripple, he has to convince in a very physically demanding role which barely sees him leave the stage. I am sure his mastery of Rigoletto will give the other less experienced members of the cast the confidence to deliver on their promise in this production of Verdi's dark and thrilling opera. This is definitely one from the vaults as far as the ENO goes, but on the first night's showing there is life in the old corpse yet. Charlie Taylor
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