Rigoletto - Verdi

[motodraconis]

Aaargh, a bit late reviewing this, I've had no time to write up, and now I'm still reeling from how amazing Rodelinda was last Wednesday - if you're even vaguely interested in opera, go and see it! (Review to follow when I have pics.)

But anyways... Rigoletto...




I was in the balcony, and when the curtains opened to reveal this "gentleman's club" with everyone wearing the same clothes I had a hard time trying to work out who was actually singing.



Anyway's finally worked out that is was the Duke...



And here is Rigoletto and his daughter Gilda. Now I find it hard to put into words what it was about this production... I mean, it was good, but it was also really, well...



... horrible.

None of the characters are sympathetic. Obviously the duke is repugnant. Having carelessly cast off one girl, when her father complains, he simply has him lynched and killed.



But Rigoletto is not appealing either, being weirdly possessive in a selfish manner with his daughter, who's only role is to be a possession, first belonging to her father, then abducted like a trophy, then treated as a possession by the duke.



She's never really given the status of a human being, and it's deeply uncomfortable to watch.



There's the intimation that Gilda has been raped, with the collusion of all of the duke's hangers-on. The scene where Rigoletto is trying to find and rescue his daughter, and is snubbed and obstructed by the courtiers, is upsetting to watch. Perhaps for me, what I found plain nasty was that Gilda is abused solely to punish Rigoletto. No one gives a shit about her, it's all about the men. Their punishment, their desires, their needs.



There really is no let up in the grimness. I found that a bit wearing.



An assassin is found to kill the duke...




But it doesn't work out that way.



It was hard not to be moved at the end, even if... there was a nagging annoyance that Rigoletto's grief at losing his daughter is more that he'll be left alone and lose his priceless possession.



Because you see, she doesn't really matter, she's just a device in his punishment, it's all about him.



It's hard to tell if this isn't the whole point of the opera, and it was originally written in a world where women are just possessions and ciphers, or if this production pushes that emphasis. That and the blatant despair that there's a class issue at work here, with the rich and powerful doing just as they please while the poor get shat upon.

I mean, it was good, but it was horrible. To the point that I'm put off seeing Rigoletto again, as the plot was so offensive to modern eyes.



All photos from ENO's Facebook page.

Comments

[cabepfir.livejournal.com]

Ah, but you don't even like the music? I have to say that Rigoletto is one of my favourite operas, musically speaking. I love the Duke's arias and also Rigoletto's Vendetta, and all the orchestration for the final storm. Very very Italian, but still. It's one of the operas I've more listened to.

(Btw I love the detail of the "Gazzetta di Mantova" in the photos!)

[motodraconis.livejournal.com]

That's the thing, I'd been listening to the music beforehand and really enjoying it, yes, and the Duke's arias and Rigoletto's vendetta, but somehow, this production took any charm or beauty out of these pieces and turned them into something disturbing. I've not listened to the music since!

[crazycrone.livejournal.com]

I think the emphasis on the dehumanisation of women was deliberate, to remind us how dreadful it was, blah blah. You sould try another production, like the famous ENO 'Mafia' one I'm always going on about, where the characters are more well rounded. That said, Gilda is a bit of a bore. Verdi's women are often pretty complex, though. I get the impression that he liked and admired the sex.

[motodraconis.livejournal.com]

I've been putting off this post, as I had no desire to revisit the production. I'll try another production one day, but this was a real turn-off.

[cleanskies.livejournal.com]

I too think it was probably deliberate, but I find that style of presentation rather exhausting and stressful -- like being backed into a corner by someone determined that you fully understand the realities of oppression, I might appreciate and agree with the argument, but I have no desire to spend several hours trapped with it.

[motodraconis.livejournal.com]

YES. THIS!

You've put the nail on the head.