motodraconis (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
motodraconis) wrote2014-03-01 07:51 pm
motodraconis) wrote2014-03-01 07:51 pm
Rigoletto - Verdi
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.
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.
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no subject
You've put the nail on the head.