A dramatic journey of undeniable force, Rigoletto was immensely popular from its premiere and remains fresh and powerful to this day. The story, based on a controversial play by Victor Hugo, tells of an outsider—a hunchbacked jester—who struggles to balance the dueling elements of beauty and evil that exist in his life. Written during the most fertile period of Verdi’s artistic life, the opera resonates with a universality that is frequently called Shakespearean.
Verdi’s heartbreaking masterpiece returns with reigning Verdi baritone Quinn Kelsey reprising his devastating portrayal of the hunchbacked court jester.
2hr 45min.
September 30th, 2024
January 24th, 2025
Ages 14+.
Elevator access, wheelchair access, accessible listening devices, Braille and large print programs
Victor Hugo’s 1832 play Le Roi s’Amuse, set at the court of King François I of France (circa 1520), is a blatant depiction of depraved authority. In adapting it, Verdi and Piave fought with the Italian censors and eventually settled on moving the story to the non-royal Renaissance court of Mantua, while holding firm on the core issues of the drama. In the Met’s production, the action unfolds in Weimar Germany in the 1920s, a time and place with surprising parallels to the decadent—and dangerous—world of the original setting.
Rigoletto runs for 2hr 45min.
Rigoletto is at New York's Metropolitan Opera House, which is located at 30 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, 10023.
Rigoletto tickets start at $38.
Ages 14+.
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