Rigoletto on the Lake: Key Facts You Should Know thumbnail

Rigoletto on the Lake: Key Facts You Should Know

Considered one of Verdi’s greatest masterpieces, Rigoletto premiered in Venice in 1851. A story of lust, murder and revenge, it has been performed consistently across the world and is a staple in every opera house's repertoire. With Rigoletto on the Lake, performed on a magnificent water stage, screening in cinemas on 17th September, here are a few facts about the opera.

1.    The story is based on a play by Victor Hugo. He is better known for his other masterpieces: Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and is considered one of France's greatest novelists.

 

2.    The censors had real issues with the content of the opera. Set in the immoral world of the Duke of Mantua, whose corruption and misuse of power is displayed, the fact that there seems to be no redemption for his victims caused real issues for finally getting the opera on the stage.

3.    Its most famous aria is the Duke's La Donna è Mobile, (A woman is flighty). Due to the Duke's mistreatment of women, and particularly Rigoletto’s daughter, it is no surprise that this is an opera without a happy ending.

4.    Although the opera was very successful with audiences from the beginning, many critics condemned the story for its dark and tragic plot being combined with popular tunes. However, later on, critics warmed to the opera, one stating that in Rigoletto there "is more substance and feeling than in the whole of Wagner's Ring Cycle".

5. The staging for Rigoletto on the Lake weighs no less than 140 tons anchored on 120 piers. As many as 46 different companies took part in the construction of the moving Clown head and hands. They can be moved, pulled apart and disconnected, mirroring the breakdown of Rigolettos mind as the story goes on.

 

By Ellie