Annapolis Opera’s year-long celebration of its 40th anniversary will culminate on March 15 and 17 at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts with Verdi’s Rigoletto.
First performed in Venice, Italy in 1851, Rigoletto ranks amongst Giuseppe Verdi’s most beloved works and is one of the most performed operas of all time. The composer himself referred to it as “perhaps the greatest drama of modern times.” Based on the play Le Roi S’Amuse, by Victor Hugo, Rigoletto poignantly portrays Verdi’s favorite themes – parental love, the complexities of parent-child relationships, and the consequences of anger and bitterness. The opera includes some of the most beautiful music ever written, with “Caro Nome“ and ‘La Donna e Mobile,“ ranking among the most beloved arias in all of grand opera.
This powerful story of lust, betrayal, and revenge features a stellar cast of professional opera singers including Chad Armstrong and Megan Hart in the title role of Rigoletto and his daughter Gilda. Tenor Rolando Sanz will portray the Duke, with Mezzo Soprano Jennifer Hines as Maddalena and Bass Liam Moran as the Assassin Sparafucile. Here is more information on the cast.
Fully staged with sets and period costumes, Annapolis Opera’s Rigoletto promises to be a grand production. Musical accompaniment will be provided by the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Annapolis Opera’s Artistic Director Ron Gretz. The performance will include supertitles in English projected over the stage for those who wish to follow along.
“Not only does Rigoletto include some of the most recognizable operatic arias, the themes that underlie the story are just as relevant today as they were when the opera was written in the 1800s,” commented Annapolis Opera President Lee Finney. “At the time Verdi wrote it, Rigoletto was censored because of its portrayal of royalty as corrupt. The concept of power as a corrupting force is a very contemporary theme that we continue to see make headlines today. Rigoletto is an incredible operatic drama and I’m excited for audiences here in Annapolis to experience it!”
The company will hold a dress rehearsal that is open to students (ages 8-25) on Wednesday, March 13 at 7:30pm. Tickets for the dress rehearsal are $5 with a valid student ID (available only at the door).
The performances will take place on Friday, March 15 at 8:00 pm and Sunday, March 17 at 3:00 pm, with a pre-performance lecture one hour before, at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts – 801 Chase St., in Annapolis, MD. Tickets are $90 for Section A, $75 for Section B, and $25 for students. Group discounts are also available.
Purchase tickets online.
Annapolis Opera Company has provided professionally staged operas and concerts for the mid-Atlantic region for the past 40 years. The Opera’s mission is to present artistically excellent professional opera productions, educational programs and other opera-related events, featuring emerging artists. More information on the Annapolis Opera is available here.
