This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Enter the World of Rigoletto
Like many other students in the class, Rigoletto was my first opera experience. Before watching Rigoletto, I have always imagined operas to be boring and tedious, but this changed once I stepped into the Metropolitan Opera. My mind was blown away by the glamour of the place. When the opera began, my amazement stepped to the next level. As each character came out one by one, I could not help, but notice the wondrous colors of their costumes. The variety of colors of their costumes brought the play to life.
The story of Rigoletto was simple – a father trying to protect his daughter, but ended up causing her death. Although the storyline was not very original, the singers portrayed it perfectly. They displayed their emotions through the vibratos and the pitches of their voices. One scene that remains vivid in my memories was when Rigoletto, played by Lado Ataneli, discovered that he took part in the kidnapping of his own daughter. As the other people laughed at him, Rigoletto showed his grief through his singing. Although the scene might seem unbelievable in real life, the orchestra, along with Lado Ataneli’s singing, made it seem realistic. Another character that I liked was Gilda, played by Christine Schafer. Although critics claimed that Schafer failed to make an impact on the show, and that the orchestra often drowned out her voice, I felt that she depicted her character perfectly. Her small voice helped her portray Gilda as more innocent and naïve.
The opera was a magnificent experience, but there were parts of the opera that I disliked as well. At some parts, I felt that the scene was dragged on, making it tiring to watch. An example is the death of Gilda. The scene can be accomplished within ten minutes, but in the opera, it took twice the amount of time. It felt as if they kept repeating what they were saying. Despite this, there were still many aspects of the opera that I enjoyed, such as the set and the costumes. It amazed me how the opera singers were able to project their voices with such strong power, that no devices were necessary to spread it to the whole auditorium. This was truly a great experience.