By Kathryn Olsen
There is no question that the current pandemic has affected access to the performing arts, but Lyric Opera Theater’s Rigoletto at the ICW Cultural Event Center has transcended traditional presentation to safely bring an operatic classic to a wide audience. Kicking off the production on July 25 was a live-streamed Facebook broadcast of this 1851 opera by Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi and librettist Francesco Maria Plave, based on the 1832 play Le Roi S’Amuse by Victor Hugo. Yet this video is not the only way in which Lyric Opera Theater has adapted the opera to create a unique experience for audiences of all settings. As a long-time opera lover who has seen Rigoletto since high school, I looked forward to witnessing the accommodations and can say it is like no other production that I have seen before.
The opera opens as the Duke of Mantua (Jesse Toftum) entertains his courtiers with boasts of his love life. His jester, the titular character, conspires with the Duke to entrap a woman by imprisoning her husband. This plan backfires on Rigoletto (Daniel Tuutau) as another noble, Count Monterone (Nelson DeLuz), threatens the Duke for one of his infamous conquests and subsequently curses Rigoletto as well. Rigoletto is plagued by fear of the curse and its implications for himself and, more importantly, his daughter Gilda (Kahli Dalbow). The machinations that attempt to evade the curse bring disastrous consequences on the principal players and raise questions of how much control any person should have over their own fate.
Tuutau’s performance is a marvelous balance between despair and cunning. His journey begins as he is the consummate funny man, respectful of none, but friendly with all, and culminates in a man who suspects everyone and trusts nothing. His vocals are remarkably adapted to the demands of that emotional journey, particularly when he disconsolately searches far and wide for his abducted daughter.
Balbow interprets Gilda with unassuming faith in love that is a crucial factor in her character arc for good and evil. Her “Caro Nomine,” in which she dreams of the man she loves, is a wonderful contrast to the desperate frenzy of intervening on behalf of that same man.
Toftum as the Duke is an excellent example of a character immersed entirely in his own story withour much regard for consequences. His confidence and joviality among his courtiers is set against his professed earnest love for Gilda and it is easy to see why people are taken in by his ways throughout the plot.
While there is an outstanding chorus, there are several smaller ensembles whose presence are both varied and unique. Marullo (Dan Tomlinson), Borsa (Levi Frakes), and Count Ceprano (Joshua Jensen) are the Duke’s lackeys to a man and their brief interchanges are like those of a close-knit fraternity. In Rigoletto’s home, servant Giovanna (Sarah Seamons) is the de facto liaison between father, daughter, and guests and is marvelously expressive in that role, which changes as she faces each of those characters. Second-half conspirators Sparafucile (Ricky Parkinson) and Maddalena (Melissa James) are remarkable in their cunning and apparent remorselessness.
Most striking are the dancers who accompany Rigoletto in his moments of solitude (Carly Schaub, Erin Kearns-Brown, Craig Mitchell). In the opening act, the dance ensemble is a lively and lovely presence in the Duke’s court, but from the moment that the curse is cast by Monterone, the dancers become manifestations of Rigoletto’s inner demons. He seems to be entirely unaware of their presence as they skulk and writhe around him, dressed in mottled clothing and moving with relentless energy. It’s a master stroke in the production and credit must be given to the choreographer, Schaub.
This is one of the first production played to a live audience that I have seen since March and I originally expressed interest in seeing this performance because of President Lynnette Owen‘s explanations of how they were making arrangements for social distancing and protective measures for cast and attendees alike. While there are a few characters on the stage at a time, a projection screen allows for players to perform and interact within the scene without being physically present. The audience is separated from the stage by a broad platform, which puts them at a distance while doubling as a set piece. The three intermissions allow for careful changing of setting by Stage Manager Sydney Andraszcik and Stage Hands Jason Leavitt and Katelyn Hales, but the same projection that permits a virtual cast allows a very limited number of pieces to set the stage. It doubles as a lavish palace, a courtyard, and the Italian countryside as well as depicting the fateful thunderstorm of Act 4.
Lyrical Opera Theater’s Rigoletto is an ingenious and novel approach to something that is familiar to many audiences. The subject matter is not suitable for children, but audiences from teenagers to adults will appreciate the depth of the story. While there are performances throughout the week in person, there is another live broadcast on closing night. Hurry now to find a way to witness this masterpiece before it ends.
Lyrical Opera Theater Presents Rigoletto; By Giuseppe Verdi, Libretto by Francesco Maria Plava, Based on a play by Victor Hugo
ICW Cultural Event Center, 1775 S 4130 W #3, Salt Lake City, UT 84104
Jul 25-Aug 1, 2020 7:00 PM
Tickets: $25
Contact: 801-641-6984
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