Rigoletto is the final opera in Welsh National Opera's season of Love and Passion. This revival of James Macdonald’s 2002 production sees Simon Keenlyside in the title role, performing the challenges of the Court Jester for the first time in his illustrious career.  Verdi’s powerful score is firmly placed in the hedonistic, political world of 1960s Washington with a sharp design (Robert Innes Hopkins) and fascinating orchestral colours with the young, vibrant conductor Pablo-Heras Casado making his WNO debut. The opening night suffered some ensemble difficulties between stage and pit, but no doubt these will be ironed out as time progresses.

The use of a dimly lit Capitol Hill gauze presides over most of the opera, hinting at shadowy political intrigue and commanding the secret sexual assignations of the powerful Duke of Mantua. Act 1 opens in a stylised wood-panelled room with partying beckoning through the hazy reflections of glass.  The licentious world of the Duke emerges as a protected environment where he can fulfil his desires and reap no consequences. He has constant protection offered by his right-hand man, Rigoletto and the fawning be-suited congressmen in his political sphere.  Act 1 scene 2 is shaped around the fenced home of Rigoletto and his treasured daughter, Gilda.  The wired security contrasts sharply with the opulence of the first scene, and has a threatening feel rather than creating a home of safe comfort for Gilda.  Act 2 is within the offices of the Duke in an Oval Office scene with the ever-important bedroom lurking behind a nearby door. The final Act at Sparafucile’s murky hut has trailer-trash desperation about it, with subversive sleazy shadows painting Gilda’s torment as she spies on this world and the Duke’s betrayal of her love.

Simon Keenlyside’s debut performance of the title role has a somewhat unexpected, but strangely apt, energetic and physical presence.  The hunchbacked, limping jester is not merely an outcast in the circles in which he moves, nor is he simply a mocked figure because of his ailments and disabilities.  Keenlyside creates a younger than usual Rigoletto, with virile presence despite a faltering gait and twisted body.  His Rigoletto has twists of the mind, and his performance on Saturday evening commanded the stage with a brooding, edgy depth. One had the distinct sense that this debut performance sowed the seeds of an interpretation that will organically grow and change.  Keenlyside has originality and a brave heart in this characterisation and his dramatic baritone was right on the edge in a thrillingly convincing portrayal.  There were astonishing powerful vocal colours and intensity, and immense phrasing in his overall portrayal.  The text was paramount in his character development and his Italian spat out the scorn, caressed the intimate moments and suffered the torment of his curse.

Unfortunately on the opening night, the Welsh tenor, Gwyn Hughes Jones was indisposed and the challenges of the Duke were attempted by the capable cover, Shaun Dixon. This role however requires much more than conscientiousness. Verdi intended the Duke to be frivolous and rakish, embracing those soaring phrases and relishing in the numerous vocal climaxes to reflect the character’s total invincible and self-confident charms.  Sadly, despite fitting into the production with security, Dixon’s vocal strengths were not up to the demands of Verdi’s writing. “Questa o quella”  lacked confidence and secure intonation, which did suffer throughout the opera and weakened considerably during “La donna è mobile”.  As a stage presence, Dixon lacked sensuality and appeal, and one feared for the security of his tenor and longed for flair of personality.

What an absolute joy it was to share Sarah Coburn’s WNO and UK debut as Gilda. From her first appearance as a ankle-socked Sandra Dee, she not only radiated innocence and youth but her glistening, clean soprano embraced elongated phrases with aplomb and delicacy.  Her “Caro nome” had tingling, shimmering moments despite losing nerve in the height of the big cadenza and having to adapt her structured freedom of tone.  She had a purity in Act 1 which developed a fervent richness in Act 2, as Gilda’s life experiences deepened.  The innocence of her character could be felt in her portrayal, and once that innocence was sweepingly taken, Ms Coburn’s tone became steely and more fulsome.  This Gilda is a rounded study of the impetuousness of young love and its tragic consequences with vocal flexibility, shine and beautiful phrasing. Sarah Coburn is a Gilda with stunning verve and poignancy and graces Verdi’s music with ease and beauty.

Sparafucile is a sleazy creation of David Soar’s, sidling around the dark edges of the action with authority and subversiveness.  Last seen as a grim reaper type Nightwatchman in Meistersinger, this role gives Soar a dramatic opportunity to use rich tonal colours with dramatic effect.  His sinewy lines weaved through the orchestration with threatening vigour.

Sparafucile’s sister, Maddalena is played with seductive earthiness by the Welsh mezzo-soprano, Leah-Marian Jones, whose valuable stage experience ensured that less is certainly more!  By sliding around the unsavoury setting of Sparafucile’s hut, this Maddalena depicted simple, basic needs.  Her chocolate mezzo-soprano energised the Quartet, ensuring that Act 3 had vibrancy and physicality contrasting Gilda’s finely played innocence and purity.

Michael Druiett performed a Monterone of immense stature and richness.  His Italianate flamboyance in Act 1 in presenting his horror of the Duke’s predatory antics and seduction of his daughter, has enormous vocal reserve and achieves the dramatic quality of the curse. To see him later in the opera in a wheelchair, being sedated via an injection, takes away his sense of self-respect and deepens the tragedy of the curse he has placed upon Rigoletto.

The smaller roles are taken with defined characterisation, and the finale of Act 1 as the courtiers creep into Gilda’s living quarters to abduct her, is creepingly effective. “Zitti,zitti, moviamo a vendetta” in creepy clown masks made the scene a mixture of melodramatic, tragic irony.

The overall success of this production hinges upon the delineation of the major characters.  Each role demands great vocal skills in a dramatic earnestness. On the opening night, the role of the Duke did not achieve the heartless, attractive abandonment of his easy-come, easy-go mentality, but Shaun Dixon did find touching moments with Gilda in Act 1.  Simon Keenlyside’s Rigoletto excelled in exploring the anguish and protective father/daughter relationship, and in reflecting the tragic figure’s insular life.  Sarah Coburn also shone as a touchingly innocent and dutiful Gilda.  Leah-Marian Jones added a splash of sleaze to the glitterati of 1960’s Washington hinting at the duplicity of the political world.

Despite creating the opulent world of the Duke and the sycophancy of his henchmen, it is noticeable that this is achieved not by a glut of colourful props and extravagances. The striking set design has subtle flashes of red which speaks volumes amongst the suited and booted formality. In Act 1, Rigoletto cruelly plays with red lingerie as Monterone desperately breaks into the world of the inner sanctum. Act 1 Scene ii sees a red student scarf draped around the Duke to transform him into Gualtier Maldé.  Finally, Maddalena slinks around the stage in a red pencil skirt to entice the Duke.  These little streaks of red-light subtlety work effectively and subtly.

The evening was dominated by the wealth of colour and innate dramatic qualities in Simon Keenlyside’s tour-de-force. His Rigoletto is a magnificent interpretation, capturing anguish, loneliness, duty and the all-important tenderness in his relationship with his precious yet doomed daughter. This is a memorable, dangerous and on-the-edge performance, which gave the Cardiff opening night audience a special chance to share in a deeply exciting portrayal.

Bethan Dudley Fryar
Opera Britannia

Photographs (c) Opera Britannia and Mary Robertson