The Welsh National Opera, the national opera company for Wales funded by the Arts Councils of Wales and England, is bringing two major productions – Rigoletto and Il trittico – to Oxford this week, continuing its mission to deliver large-scale opera, concerts, and outreach across Wales and major cities in the English regions.
Rigoletto
Verdi’s decadent tale of debauchery and deceit, which will open the Autumn Season, is set in the ruthless court of the Duke of Mantua. This heart-wrenching tale explores the web of love, betrayal and the consequences of power.
Verdi wrote that Rigoletto was his best opera, and this new production showcases a tapestry of emotions and unforgettable melodies, including The Duke’s aria La donna è mobile and one of opera’s most famous quartets Bella figlia dell’amore.
Port Talbot-born opera and music theatre director Adele Thomas makes her WNO directorial debut in this new production, with Pietro Rizzo returning to conduct. The designs for the production were created by European Opera Prize winner Annemarie Woods.
The cast includes Daniel Luis de Vicente, who will sing the title role, with Leonardo Capalbo returning to WNO to sing The Duke. Also returning to WNO is Soraya Mafi, who will sing Gilda.
The cast also includes Paul Carey Jones as Monterone, Nathanaël Tavernier as Sparafucile, Alyona Abramova, who makes her WNO debut as Maddalena, and Zwkele Tshabalala as Borsa.
Director Adele Thomas said: “Rigoletto is a brutal stare into human darkness. As a work of drama, it rivals the work of Shakespeare and Racine for its deep humanity and devasting storytelling. The music is magnificent from start to finish.
“We want to make a production that draws on Verdi’s love of the Shakespearean stage and the fire of his politics. It is a thrill to finally be making work at home in Wales. WNO is where I first fell in love with opera, and it is an honour to be creating this work there.”
Il trittico | Suor Angelica & Gianni Schicchi
Following its WNO premiere in June 2024, Puccini’s triptych of one-act operas Il trittico returns to Cardiff’s Wales Millennium Centre in September alongside Rigoletto. This time, the operas are conducted by Alexander Joel, who returns after conducting La traviata in the Autumn of 2023.
New to the Autumn cast will be soprano Natalya Romaniw, who returns to WNO’s main stage for the first time since her performance in Eugene Onegin (2017) to sing Sister Angelica (Suor Angelica) and Giorgetta (Il tabarro).
Making their WNO debuts are baritone Dario Solari and tenor Andrés Presno, who join the Autumn cast. Dario will sing Michele (Il tabarro), and the title role in Gianni Schicchi and Andrés will sing Luigi (Il tabarro).
Also making her Company debut is mezzo-soprano Yvonne Howard, who will sing La Frugola (Il tabarro) and La Suora Infermiera (Suor Angelica). Welsh tenor Trystan Llŷr Griffiths returns to WNO to sing Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi) and Young Lover (Il tabarro).
Mark Le Brocq also returns to WNO as Il Tinca (Il tabarro) and Gherarado (Gianni Schicchi) after his critically acclaimed performance as Aschenbach in Death in Venice.
Also new to the cast for the performances in the Autumn are Anne Mason and Linda Richardson. Haegee Lee, Sioned Gwen Davies, Benjamin Bevan, James Cleverton and Wojtek Gierlach all reprise their roles from the summer performances.
Audiences in Oxford will have the opportunity to enjoy a concert performance of the trio of operas in one night on 25 October.
Conductor Alexander Joel said: “Il trittico is in my opinion one the greatest works written – three incredible operas, all with different musical and emotional colours that never fail to fascinate the audience. I can’t wait to return to WNO again, especially with music from Puccini, my favourite opera composer.”
Rigoletto and ll trittico in Concert make up WNO’s Autumn 2024 season and will be performed at New Theatre, Oxford, from 24 to 26 October.
