Verdi’s embittered jester makes a welcome return in Elijah Moshinsky’s typically insightful production. Celebrated Czech baritone Dalibor Jenis dons the twisted clown greasepaint as he reprises the title role, with Korean-Australian soprano Gemma Nha making her OA debut as his daughter Gilda and Australian-Chinese tenor Kang Wang as the dissolute Duke of Mantua. A strong supporting cast includes David Parkin as the sinister assassin Sparafucile and Sian Sharp as his tender-hearted sister Maddalena. Sesto Quatrini conducts.

Limelight Editor’s Choice

At the Duke’s infamous parties, one man’s words light the darkness with a sinister glitter. Among the glamorous girls and greasy gangsters, Rigoletto serves his master with sharp wits and averted eyes.

From the moment he wrote it, Verdi knew he had a hit on his hands. The story has everything: royalty, loyalty, devotion, lust and revenge.

And the music? The music is sensational, so full of hummable tunes that Verdi demanded complete secrecy from his premiere cast. The tenor was forbidden from even whistling the catchy ‘La donna è mobile’ outside of rehearsals.

The morning after Rigoletto’s triumphant première, that melody rang out in the streets: a hit for ever after.

Elijah Moshinsky’s much-loved production of Rigoletto returns to the Sydney Opera House stage, complete with its glamorous La Dolce Vita-inspired sets and costumes and scene-stealing Fiat 500. The revolving dolls-house style set gives cinematic detail to each scene.