Rigoletto in Rehearsal (Met Opera)

[@wotan10950]

I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this concept when I saw it at the Met. But I loved it! The story lends itself to this Vegas decadence, and I’ve seen so many traditional productions, it’s an interesting new concept.

[@arkady714]

This production was beyond brilliant. Transposing it to something more identifiable (60's Las Vegas) made it much easier to relate to. It was one greatest live productions I'd ever seen.

[@OperaLoverL]

loved this production.....

[@Beingasong]

Watched this on Met Stream and loved this production!

[@wotan10950]

I'm not a great fan of updating operas, but this looks very interesting. I can see the parallels between the Duke's Court and the Rat Pack's Vegas. As long as it doesn't distort the entire opera, like so many other 'updated' productions, I think it'll make people think about how this relates to modern times. As for Verdi crying, come off it - he wrote Traviata with the idea that it was to take place in his own modern time.

[@opmmtvvideo7058]

Metoo

[@giovanniformisanotenorefor4999]

Opera houses are suffering and if they don’t keep changing with the times, they’ll be in serious trouble. As long as it’s not exaggeratedly out of proportion, I don’t see the harm in doing something like this. With the original story in mind but with an open mentality, the younger audiences can learn how to appreciate these great works. The world goes at a much faster and more superficial pace now and in order to catch the interest of future generations we must adjust. It’s unfortunate in many cases but it’s reality. As long as the voices are good and the story is understood, I say bring it on. P.S. I do love all the original settings!

[@Tkimba2]

Do you understand that you will not catch young people attention with this disgusting modernization? Haven't the last 30 years of oper with more and more ingorant egomaniiac stage directing and less and less people interested in opera taught you anything ?

[@giovanniformisanotenorefor4999]

@@Tkimba2 and you attribute the trouble of the art form to its modernization? Societies change and in the fast paced world we live in today, even opera must catch up. Do you seriously think that nowadays you can easily get a young person (not a musician) to sit in an opera house for 3 hours? To incentivize today’s youth, productions they can relate to (in a sense) like these, can be somewhat helpful. Once the are “in” then I’m all for educating them further. That’s all I’m saying. Being stuck in the past, unfortunately, won’t help anyone.

[@MaestroWenarto]

thank you

[@Houdi2]

Luscious dancers. And the Las Vegas setting? Yes, I think it'll work. Very appropriate. Rigoletto is essentially the procurer for the Duke and Lucic looks the part, doesn't he? I'm really looking forward to it on Met HD.

[@opmmtvvideo7058]

What's up with the microphone

[@PeterBarber]

I see purely trash-talk in the comments. Let's see some positivity for these hard-working and talented people!

[@magicmonkichi]

Gotta say, not a fan of the production...Vegas...but on the plus side we had DiDonato to guide us through the video. She's great when she's on stage and in interview chair.

[@dalferr]

Bravo!

[@sushilover37]

Exactly. His OWN modern time. And as history progresses, this opera is as a representative for that era and place forever. So if people want new opera, then they should write new opera, and keep the souvenirs of the past as they were in the composer's mind

[@yasharahmadii]

The voice was not amplified !! It was a part of his act . ;)

[@Tracymmo]

My favorite part of these productions, whether Shakespeare or opera, is traditionalists clutching their pearls.

[@LivvytheOwl]

Don't be so quick to judge this version without actually seeing it at the Met! I saw it, and it really worked

[@svetlanakan8938]

As for me, he is the best tenor

[@acacia-bloom]

I'm in there with you! ...clutching their pearls and telling you what the composer intended....

[@glsigalos]

I don't remember if I commented or not on this video clip in the past so forgive me for any apparent repetition. The Las Vegas venue for Rigoletto just doesn't cut it for me. I found the rehearsal performance by Piotr Beczala in the clip both crass and vulgar - not his voice, mind you, but the Las Vegas atmosphere and approach. Verdi, librettist Piave and Victor Hugo who provided the inspiration to Piave must assuredly be turning in their graves. I heard in the clip Michael Mayer's explanation for the venue change but I don't buy it for a minute.

[@jewelmarkess]

It's not the issue of being "traditionalist" but the fact that some of us actually understand/know the original words and so the fact that subtitles are changed doesn't distort the inconsistency between the words and the action, the fact that words stop making sense entirely. Not to mention plot point. Tell me, is Gilda the last remaining virgin in Vegas? Is losing virginity same as losing girl's honor? Why is Rigoletto so afraid of the curse?

[@pepeelsordo]

Another one!! Execute the director!!!

[@johnnie543]

The only thing I care about is that I can finally pronounce Lucic's name correctly!

[@sushilover37]

It isn't that we dislike new opera. New opera could be great, for example, the Met's production of tempest, and enchanted island. But keep classic opera as classic opera, like the composer wrote. I would care to venture that Verdi would be more flattered by a new opera inspired by his style, instead of a new and changed version of his opera.

[@tamarasergeevna9096]

feel the same, remember Dresden 2008, Florez such a Duke! And staging was perfect, stylish, elegant, attractive , all singers were perfect, and played their characters ..

[@mehitabel1290]

The updates are so patronising! What, we, as a 21st c audience, can't possibly enjoy the piece set in its intended period? Or enjoy the music and drama for their own sake? Nope, we have to have it made more "relevant" for us idiots.. Or is it just for the directors, most of whom seem to be completely unmusical, to show off........?

[@Tracymmo]

Well, I understand every (well, nearly every) word of Shakespeare, but I still don't get worked up over experimental productions. I'd rather see producers and directors take some chances and fail than be afraid of trying something new. This production of Rigoletto wasn't perfect, but I enjoyed it. Though Gilda dying the trunk of a Cadillac was a one-time only event for me.

[@jewelmarkess]

(cont) As to Verdi's setting La Traviata in his own time - it's his own time, and it was his choice to set it there. But Verdi's time isn't our time, and a French courtesan isn't a modern prostitute. The characters, the personalities, the words - all make sense in the original settings. It was Verdi's choice where to set the action. There is nothing wrong with someone writing a new opera and setting action in our time, but it'll be a new work with words that make sense.

[@rodneymartin-ps2yv]

As done by Jonathan Miller in London 60 years ago!

[@thehix]

I actually watched a bit more of it and it's not that bad :). I was overreacting. It's quite interesting !

[@Houdi2]

Oh, and did I mention? Luscious dancers!

[@jsl1952]

the stage is raked at the Met?

[@jewelmarkess]

It distorts the full opera almost by definition. When Verdi was forced to move Rigoletto from French court to Mantua and make a king a duke, Verdi wrote in his letters that it doesn't matter where it's set as long as the duke is an absolute ruler. Well, a Las Vegas entertainer may have some power, but not life/death power. Now if Rigoletto were moved to some place like Saudi Arabia then it *might* have made some sense. But really, the words make no sense here.

[@crindopica]

Жељко мајсторе!!!

[@arrassip]

Piotr Baczala is not sincere. In another interview he complained about a new production of Un Ballo in Maschere where is a fisherman with no shoes.

[@asianfil]

They really need to update Opera... Agree with me or not, it's a dying art... If they want to reach out more to the general public & draw in new audience, they need to update the repertoire to a certain degree... Question, Can the production change some of the lyrics to match the new setting? Love Piotr! I became a fan when I saw him along with Anna Netrebko on Lucia in 2009... Love them... :-)

[@willremmers]

Beczala sounds pretty good! I've been reading a lot about this production in recent Met Programs and it looks like it's a convoluted, over-stylized mess, but at least it will look expensive...which is not the case of most recent Met Productions.

[@acacia-bloom]

Why??

[@jewelmarkess]

Not the same power as an absolute power of a ruler of a province in Italy or for that matter a king in 16th century France. Rigoletto doesn't have to work for him, he can move. He isn't exactly part of the mafia, just some bartender in this production. If he is afraid for Gilda, he can easily move. And what about the whole "I don't go anywhere but to the church" business? A modern day Gilda doesn't go to school? What about the whole fuss about "dishonor"?

[@TheDoriseB]

I know how much work is gone into this but I would definitely not go see it.

[@togenicha]

I like the idea of setting Rigoletto in Las Vegas. Why people have a bug in their ass? As long as the voices, lyrical techniques remain unchanged, a bit of creativity in the scenography is great.

[@Tkimba2]

Its "la Rondine" not "La Rrrrondine"

[@pepeelsordo]

Well, Verdi's music is not enough for today's VISION of what opera is. Not a cent from me, for sure. Rigoletto en Vegas!!

[@ciociosan]

Love the singing. Hate the production.

[@lamb4mc]

same

[@jewelmarkess]

I don't have an issue with innovation as a whole. I liked the Met Carmen, even if I thought it'd just as easily worked in period clothing. A director could do many interesting things with acting, even add some symbolism without actually transposing the action. Transposing works sometimes, but it rarely adds anything. Still, Rigoletto would work in any place where a) duke is an absolute ruler b) virginity is super-important c) birth determines one's position in life d) people believe in curses.

[@andrelavandero3041]

SEA level?!

[@maddalena1957]

Well said !

[@BigDaddyDracula]

way too back in the throat. pause at 1:46, look at the tongue. he has a lovely instrument and would have a much more beautiful tone without swallowing the tongue

[@Keksakallu]

Well of course, I'm not the director, so I can't speak to the means by which Mayer plans to solve the issues you raise, but I'll agree with you that a "made man" probably doesn't have the same level of power over life and death as a King or a Governor... but he does have a measure of it nonetheless.

[@nomearod]

I hate it. Roll back to original version please.

[@manuelalejandro3176]

terribile produzione...assolutamente fuori luogo... Verdi NON AVREBBE MAI VOLUTO una roba cosi assurda !!! non so perche oggi ci sono tanti "nuovi personaggi", direttori di scena... che credono di fare meglio di quello che é giá stato fatto da GIGANTI come GIUSEPPE VERDI.. musica sublime e canto stupendo

[@jewelmarkess]

Some measure of it true, but also he doesn't have the responsibility to rule - keep in mind that they made him a Las Vegas entertainer, not the mafia boss. When one talks about abuse of power, one talks about people who have power that also comes with responsibilities. The duke (king) is supposed to rule, but instead he misuses his power for orgies and seducing women. And no matter what the director does, it can't reduce the lapses of logic and words that no longer make sense.

[@TheDoriseB]

NO< NO

[@Jacob-ry3lu]

God i hate modernized productions SO MUCH

[@zuraiashvili8647]

+jacob lahr yea me too. Opera was a way to step back into time of fabulous costumes, mesmerizing stories, great music and grand gestures and now they are taking it away.

[@andrelavandero3041]

What's wrong with modernization of 1700s-1800s opera? Modernization can help bring in new audiences of different demographics, not to mention make the story more realistic with our culture and past time.

[@Jacob-ry3lu]

Andre Lavandero If you want modernized theatrical plays, go watch broadway. Nothing particularly wrong with it, I just don't see the point of it. The epic and grand staging of these pieces of music is what makes opera so unique in my opinion.

[@brianshoman1723]

I think it all depends on what is gained by the modernization. Is it truly an attempt to reflect on the universality of the themes/emotions expressed in the score, or just a director's attempt to remain obscure? I have enjoyed many productions of operas not set on the time period they were written for. At the same time...yes, I can conceive of a Tosca set on Mars 100 years from now, but why????

[@Keksakallu]

A "Sinatra-like" entertainer in 1960s Vegas would have major Mob connections, and may even be a made man, so he actually would have "life/death power".

[@СеклитаЛимариха]

Риголетто тоже люблю, но не в "новых прочтениях".

[@70girardje]

je ne suis pas un fan de ces opéras servis a la moderne, surtout que les chanteurs sont exellents.

[@marjanb5140]

IS THIS SERIOUS?? :((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

[@ErfeanFalcorck]

Verdi is falling over in his grave

[@antonellapiccinelli4277]

😀😀😀

[@veskovarbanov]

If there's something, which could make me stop listening to opera music- it is the fucking modernization! I hate it from the bottom of my heart. And please don't go telling me it's art- this is not art but parody!!! Poor Verdi, I hope he can't see it from somewhere... I don't want to think what my kinds will listen to after one or two generations- Niki Minaj kind of opera.... bla.

[@sushilover37]

If Verdi saw this he would cry

[@acardi48]

How do you know? He was a very "revolutionary" composer and was very much against conservative old fashioned performances. I am always astonished about all these commenters who have the direct line to heaven...

[@Tkimba2]

@@acardi48 what does him being revolutionary with distortig HIS work? Write your own opera and set it wherever you want

[@acardi48]

@@Tkimba2 ridiculous comment. Fullstop.

[@sgnmath1234]

Excellent trash. The greatest annihilation and total destruction of Verdi's or anyone's work. Congratulations ! I understand next year's La Boheme at Norwegian Opera will be modernized to be a same sex couple who meet in a KMart and , instead of celebrating at Cafe Momus, hang out at Starbucks . Way to go!

[@cesarvalverde7183]

Hello friends..I invite you to join in my group called Opera Universal PP…Please find it on facebook. You can upload your videos about your favourite singers (tenors, baritones, etc), or upload your videos where you appear singing “lyric music” or musicians such as violinist, etc. It is a seriously group but very funny because I pretend to make people happy with the lyric music, Operas, operetas and zarzuelas, maybe ballet.Thanks Atte.Cesar Valverder "The President of Opera UniversalPP"

[@LaDivinaLover]

Operas should NEVER be updated. They should be as the composer intended! If you want something modern then have a modern composer write a new one. Commission a new opera! What the hell do you think happened when opera houses wanted new operas? This is ridiculous looking. There is no reason opera should be a dying art. All those people going crazy because they can't figure out how to save this "dying art form". Solution! create new operas designed with modern audiences in mind.

[@LaDivinaLover]

Kind of obvious isn't it!?? 😒

[@crazy_Fred]

unfortunately, it seems to me composers these days don't fulfill the public's taste. in italy new operas are occasionally performed, but they're just simply not liked as the music is so different from what the audience expect from an opera.hence the update versions...

[@LaDivinaLover]

addicted to Brits It is my opinion modern composers should use 19th or 18th century stylistic qualities when composing new operas. That way the music is still florid and beautiful while also being new but also familiar to the modern audience member. I agree that new operas are being written, but they aren't full of beautiful melodical music. I very rarely hear any florid coloratura, well coloratura that doesn't sound cold and abstract, and the music is generally stark in nature or closer to pop. It's like they have forgotten how to write with exuberant passion and ecstasy. Again that's of the samples of new operas that I have heard personally. I don't see why composers can't emulate composers of the past and still be unique to themselves. Or immerse themselves in the "schoolIng" of a certain style. Eg Bel Canto, Baroque, Verismo and compose with those "limitations". Idk it's late here maybe I'm not making sense all (we all know how late night brains work haha).

[@crazy_Fred]

I would normally agree with you in this, but then I think a new opera with "old style" melodies would be deemed a pastiche rather than something new. Or worse, they would be considered a commercial sensation, with the only purpose of being mainstream and sell tickets (I've seen it happen with loads of soloist musicians). In a normal world, whenever an opera house commissions a new opera, limitations would be put (after all, operas have always had their fair share of troubles in the past...look at Verdi's Rigoletto, or even La Traviata, at least for their subject). But nowadays, unfortunately, something like that would be considered as an act of censorship.

[@elgato9191]

But after seeing Stefan Kován as Sparafucile all is forgiven and Lucic as Rigoletto was great too

[@tamarasergeevna9096]

still prefer Drezden year 2009, Juan Diego Florez and Diana Darmau!!!!!! s-

[@SilverSingingMethod]

"Grand Opera" she said! ROFLMAO! Where? This crap? This is like Broadway, pop singing opera. Absolutely horrid garbage. Not only visually, but vocally this is a joke.

[@maddalena1957]

Tell him to stop singing anything for ever .There are so many BAD singers now days that new ones should not be allowed to perform above their ability , and to stop them insulting themselves and our intelligence ,Peoples are entitled to enjoy what they like ,but as Gerard says: LA BEVE ANCORA IL PUBLICO: for those peoples vinegar is better than wine ,because they don't know the difference,keep up your good and valid comments,Buon ascolto e saluti GINO

[@carolghebelian2778]

Maddalena Area

[@paulgeidel4195]

To those who design opera productions: If you don't like a piece, please don't design a production of it. Please don't ruin it for everyone who loves the piece. Have pity on those who are coming to see it for the first time. No one wants to see your "concept." We want to see the author's concept. Gelb brags about the popularity of this production, but it is hated by people who know the piece. It was well attended because he had such great casts for it. (The male performers in this video are fabulous, and when Lucic left the production Hvorostovsky took over!) How could anyone watch Act 1 of this travesty and think the music they are hearing has anything to do with what they are seeing? It doesn't work! What the hell do they make of Monterone, who was a political prisoner of the Duke, and his release was secured by his daughter, by becoming a concubine of the Duke. When Monterone returns to accuse the Duke, he is arrested and later he is seen being led to his execution. Yeah, I'm sure the Rat Pack could arrange that. I think surviving members of the Rat Pack or the families of the deceased should sue the creators of this production, for the implication that they were as immoral as the characters in the opera. Honestly, I believe the people who dreamed up this abomination deserve some serious jail time. I happened to see this affront to Verdi, Hugo, Piave and all opera lovers on a big screen (for free - they won't get a penny from me for this crap!) and words were changed in the titles, but the singers were singing the original words. Guys were singing about a knife or a sword, while holding or indicating a gun. This creative team not only has no respect for the work, but none for the audience. With such great singers (and actors) it could have been such an incredible experience. Instead, I just kept asking "Why?"

[@maddalena1957]

What is so BAD is that peoples like you wishes to change the original intentions of the Composer,do you know what Verdi went through with this Opera?to start with it had nothing to do directly with RIG.but the King of Sweden,than Riboletto,he had to change names and characters and one censorship after another almost drove Verdi almost crazy, you and many others like you should go for NEW Operas by modern composers ,support them as they need food very badly . Happy listening and Saluti GINO

[@acardi48]

Before writing rubbish, study operas first. The story with the King of Sweden is "Ballo in Maschera".

[@Shesamezzo]

Also, the censorship wasn’t necessarily because of the contents of the opera, but rather that people were using Viva Verdi as a political acclamation during protests at this time. VERDI being an acronym for what they were fighting for, not actually about Verdi. However, his music got tarnished by royalty and politicians due to his last name (being the same as the political acronym) so they watched him like a Hawk.

[@sushilover37]

out of disgust

[@mirandusings]

This whole video is so awkward, haha.

[@francescoderiggi1029]

Ridiculous.

[@artistsf1]

so, Aida. we are in southern arizona, 1950s perhaps. aida is mexican - immigrant - and works for the high school principal as house keeper. she has a thing for the athletics teacher, but so does the principal's daughter. seems there is some strife at the border and Aida's dad and a bunch of his possibly drug dealing cohorts are in town causing some trouble. the law the church, the public are all in an uproar. the hot sexy athletics coach is the most outspoken about the town's people just doing a quiet 'take care of things' on their own. great idea ! bring the need for the 'wall' into play, oh so timely.. underdog immigrants, we can all get behind that. send it to peter gelb... just know he will be into it. folks, give us a fucking break. this crap is so puerile. if you don't believe what the composer and librettist gives us... write your own damned opera. i know for myself, as a teenager i learned SO much of world history by the various opera plots. terms such as pharaoh, courtesan, geisha, tsar, all new to me, and came to life on the opera stage. eras as diverse as the trojan wars, the french revolution, tudor england, the cultures of china, japan, spain, russia, all lived through these history respected productions. the general public is not as dumb as you wish us to be. in stripping these pieces down to the level of the nightly news... you kill them. the inner life of the music? gone, the play of light and dark? gone. the humanity expressed through these words and music, gone - in trade for a designer's concept. for me, as i see it now, i wish this once grand expression the death you are clearly providing. close the met, san francisco, and esp the twisted perverse merde we see coming out of munich, bruxelles, paris, and most of western europe. SO done with this mess.

[@gianfrancogiuntoli3648]

Chi ha fatto questo schifo di regia?😢