Rigoletto

We went to the opera (on Nov. 23, as you see above) and had a delightful time. Since the Opera House is being remodelled, the season is in the Erkel Theater.



This was a real treat. First, the state opera orchestra is very good. They accompanied Juan Diego Florez when we saw him. Secondly, the sets were very good. Not in the over the top style of the Met with its huge stage (and budget). More like what we have seen in the Royal Opera in London...simple in layout, ornate in design, and practical in usage.

One of the more surprising things about the opera here is its price. We paid 6400 Huf for each of our seats. That's $21.33 each. In New York or London this is $400-$500 a seat.

But, in spite of the temporary quarters and the low price, the performance was very good. Perhaps the outstanding example of the deft hand used in this production comes in the final act. Here, Rigoletto has conspired to have the Duke killed and has made his daughter, Gilda, watch the Duke pledge his undying love to another woman. When it comes time for Rigoletto's co-conspirator, Sparafucile, the kill the drugged Duke, Sparafucile's sister, the woman the Duke was trying to seduce insists that Rigoletto get a different dead body than the Duke is let go. Sparafucile gives in and they kill the first person who comes through the door. This, of course if Gilda.

All the while this action is happening, there is a storm brewing. the lighting on the scrin at the back of the stage darkens. There's lightning. The men in the chorus add the sound of the wind. The music becomes agitated. In no production we've seen of this before, has there been such a perfect merging of the storyline and setting. It added another level of apprehension and excitement to the performance.

The singers were all good, but some were better than others. The young woman, Kriszta Kinga, who sang Gilda was excellent. The Duke, sung by Galeano Salas was very strong and handled the range of the parts very well. Rigoletto, Fokanova Anatolij, was the weakest principal on the stage. His voice is good, but not strong. In key places in the story, his acting was lacking.

We had a great evening out. I highly recommend that you take in an opera during your visit to this great city. Once the opera house work is done, it will be a truly eye-popping experience.