Amartuvshin Enkhbat as the title role in Verdi's "Rigoletto." Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera
Is there any opera more catchy than Verdi's Rigoletto? It's a safe choice for the opening of the 103rd season of San Francisco Opera, but one guaranteed to fill seats, and for good reason. Brimming with royalty, fools, the folly of men, and delivering some powerful voices, this production, conducted by Music Director Eun Sun Kim and directed by Jose Mari Condemi, filled the theater to capacity.
Powerfully theatrical in the manner of the Shakespearean King Lear that Verdi so admired, Rigoletto shows once again why it has remained a mainstay for more than 170 years. Based on Victor Hugo's 1832 play Le roi s'amuse, Verdi's 1851 score and Francesco Maria Piave's libretto offer no shortage of drama, and some truly maddening choices from its characters. Don't get me wrong: the thrilling tale of the wealthy at play without consequence, curses, and a murderer for hire lurking on dark, cleverly lit streets had me in its clutches from the moment it began. The story’s themes, sadly, still echo down through the years and remain chillingly relevant today.
Act II scene from Verdi's "Rigoletto." Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera
Set designer Michael Yeargan’s Mantua is the stuff of a surrealist’s dream, inspired by Italian artist Giorgio de Chirico. Strong lines, sharp angles, and forced perspectives shape lonely streets and alleyways. Metronomic arches create a fitting court for judgment to be cast in Yeargan’s stark sets. Mark McCullough’s lighting design, brought to life by revival designer Justin A. Partier, gives the production a film noir by way of Josef Albers atmosphere. This Mantua moves in shadows, save for the fool Rigoletto, too bright for the world he inhabits.
Adela Zaharia as Gilda and Amartuvshin Enkhbat as the title role in Verdi's "Rigoletto."Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera
In a society complicit in its misogyny and worshipful of its wealthy, baritone Amartuvshin Enkhbat’s Rigoletto survives as a jester to the philandering Duke, sung by tenor Yongzhao Yu. Women at court are served up for the Duke’s pleasure while the men watch on with inebriated jealousy. When the Duke goes too far with one of their daughters, it is not he who bears the consequence, but his poor fool, Rigoletto.
Enkhbat brings real depth to the role, turning away from bitterness and blame in the face of powerlessness. Instead, he pours his love into his daughter Gilda. His voice, swelling with yearning and paternal tenderness, offers a bittersweet note for those who know what’s to come.
Adela Zaharia as Gilda not only matched Enkhbat but raised the bar for the entire production. We believed every ounce of the passion, love, and loyalty conveyed through her phenomenal soprano, right up to her dying breath.
Tenor Yongzhao Yu as the Duke was not always a match for his counterparts. His voice lacked some of the necessary power, but his rakish presence and delivery of “La donna è mobile” (“Woman is fickle”) carried undeniable charisma.
Peixin Chen as Sparafucile and J'Nai Bridges as Maddalena in Verdi's "Rigoletto."Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera
Bass Peixin Chen, as the assassin Sparafucile, stood out with a dark presence and commanding grip on the narrative. Paired with mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges as his sly and sultry sister Maddalena, the duo managed to steal every scene they appeared in. The chorus shifted seamlessly from seething mob to thunderstorm, bringing their usual skill and precision.
All of it sounds fantastic, and the tale of a fool who loses everything he loves due to the misdeeds of the powerful, plays as a tragic and timely cautionary tale. Rigoletto, in all its wondrous, baleful beauty, runs at San Francisco Opera through September 27. For more information visit their website.
