A propulsive tragedy of toxic masculinity and unfettered power
Verdi’s propulsive tragedy of toxic masculinity and unfettered power unfolds at breakneck speed, as Rigoletto, the jester, attempts to shield his daughter, Gilda, from the court of Mantua and a Duke whose greed for pleasure knows no bounds. Cloistered from the city, Gilda falls in love with a young student, unaware that he is the Duke in disguise. A brilliant score contrasts carefree songs of seduction (‘La donna è mobile’) with a gathering storm of natural and human malevolence.
