RIGOLETTO by Giuseppe Verdi

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Teatro Lirico D’Europa presents:
RIGOLETTO – An opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the 1832 play Le roi s’amuse by Victor Hugo. Despite serious initial problems with the Austrian censors who had control over northern Italian theaters at the time, the opera had a triumphant premiere at La Fenice in Venice on 11 March 1851. The work, Verdi’s sixteenth in the genre, is widely considered to be the first of the operatic masterpieces of Verdi’s middle-to-late career.

The tragic story revolves around the licentious Duke of Mantua, his hunch-backed court jester Rigoletto, and Rigoletto’s daughter Gilda. The opera’s original title, La Maledizion (The Curse), refers to a curse placed on both the Duke and Rigoletto by the Count Monterone, whose daughter the Duke has seduced with Rigoletto’s encouragement. The curse comes to fruition when Gilda falls in love with the Duke and sacrifices her life to save him from the assassin hired by her father.

This is a full-scale, traditional Italian production with beautiful sets and costumes created in Europe.
English supertitles.

CAST:

Baritone:            Michael Nansel – RIGOLETTO
Tenor:                  Nathan Snyder – DUKE
Soprano:             Gayane Ghambaryhan – GILDA
Basso:                 Steve Frederiks – SPARAFUCILE
Mezzo Soprano: Rebecca De Almeida – MADDALENA
Bass Baritone:   Vladimir Hristov – MONTERONE
Bass Baritone:   Nathan Strock –  MARULLO

Maestro:              Adrian Sylveen – Conductor

Chorus Master:  Rider Foster
Stage Director:   Giorgio Lalov –  Sets, costumes, and lights

Michael Nansel – RIGOLETTO: Michael Nansel is an award-winning singer and actor. Best known as an opera singer, he is also an accomplished recitalist and concert artist and appears frequently in musical theater classics. Between Opera and Musicals, Mr. Nansel has over 80-roles to his credit. He sings music from the Mozart to Sondheim, from Verdi to Rodger & Hammerstein. He was the Wichita Grand Opera Singer of the Year in 2012 and was the dual winner in 2003 of the Washington Area Theatre Community Honors for continued

Nathan Snyder – DUKE OF MANTUA: Praised for his “rich and nuanced” sound and “riveting” acting, tenor Nathan Snyder has built a reputation of excellence in all genres. His energy and impressive versatility make him an outstanding presence on any stage. Nathan recently performed the role of Young Jim Thompson in GLORY DENIED and the United States Airforce Academy earning him a Challenge Coin from the current Superintendent of the Academy. A rare and auspicious honor for someone not in the military. Nathan also performed the role of Paco in Manuel De Falla’s LA VIDA BREVE for Opera Fort Collins in their first ever Spanish opera. This summer, Nathan joined the chorus of LA BOHÈME at the Bravo! Vail Music festival with the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Gayane Ghambaryhan GILDA the winner of the first prize at the 2023 UK international “Golden Talent” competition, the first prize at the 2018 “New 8th Sound” competition in Armenia, and the Armenian National Opera and Ballet Theater soloist, soprano Gayane Ghambaryan began her singing journey at Romanos Melikyan Music College in 2004. A member of the 2024 Greve Opera Academy, Gayane participated in the Nicola Martinucci International Voice Competition in Lucca, Italy. In December 2022, she appeared as Violetta Valery in Verdi’s La Traviata at the Armenian National Opera and Ballet Theater.

Rebecca De Almeida – MADDALENA: Brazilian Mezzo soprano “Rebecca de Almeida gave a staggeringly commanding performance as Carmen. I will be following her meteoric rise” said Lisa Reisman of the New Haven Register and Shore Life about her debut in the title role of Bizet’s CARMEN with Opera Theatre of CT in 2022. A couple years before the pandemic Rebecca switched her career as a pianist to become an opera singer, and she is quickly establishing herself as one of the leading mezzo sopranos in Connecticut. She has performed a variety of roles throughout the US, Latin America and Europe.