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Rigoletto	Dimitri Platanias
Duca di Mantova	Ivan Magrì
Gilda	Lisette Oropesa
Sparafucile	Ante Jerkunica
Maddalena	Martina Belli
Marullo	Sergio Vitale
Borsa	Gregory Bonfatti
Monterone	Christophoros Stamboglis
Ceprano	Lisandro Abadie
Contessa di Ceprano	Maria Fiselier
Giovanna	Cécile van de Sant
Paggio	Laetitia Gerards
Chorus of the Dutch Radio
Members of the Flemish Radio Choir
Klaas Stok, Chorus Master
Radio Philharmonic Orchestra
James Gaffigan, conductor

 

Rigoletto by Verdi is back at Amsterdam Concertgebouw in the Concert season of the Dutch Radio after more than fifty years.

Dimitri Plataniasscored a great personal success as Rigoletto. He showed an important voice but such role, which demands for perfect mastering of singing technique and psychological introspection, in my opinion was simply too taxing for him.

The Duke of Ivan Magrì is blessed by the passion of the youth, but musically and interpretatively was not very refined. The endless high B that he sang at the end of La donna è mobile was vocally impressive, but musically distasteful.  And for this the conductor James Gaffigan should be blamed, who allowed the singers to indulge in any kind vocal exhibitions, like in the Italian province in the 50’s. We have heard unwritten high notes everywhere, at the end of the duet between Gilda and the Duke, at the end of Si vendetta, tremenda vendetta, and at the very end of the opera, but only those of Lisette Oropesa were pleasant. Indeed, she shone as Gilda, showing a beautiful and refined soprano lirico with an adamant high register. She conquered a standing ovation after an immaculate Caro nome, the only thrilling moment in an afternoon of routine. Ante Jerkunicawas good Sparafucile but not particularly imposing. Martina Belli   certainly showed the physique du role required by Maddalena and sung properly. The casting of all side-roles was particularly good.

For me James Gaffigan was the major reason of interest for this Rigoletto, but I found his performance to be a sort of disappointment. His approach to the score was double faced: from one side he paid great attention to orchestral colours and atmospheres, highlighting many details of Verdi’s writing. For instance, the first part of the First act was very well sketched and the various dynamic perspectives required by Verdi by the use of the off-stage band and the two orchestras on the stage were perfectly realized. On the other hand, as mentioned above, he let the singers going their way, in old fashioned manner that was rather surprising in such a young conductor.

The Chorus and the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Dutch Radio sung and played beautifully. The chorus, prepared by Klaas Stok with extras from the Chorus of the Flemish Radio, gave a true singing lesson through the opera and in particular in Zitti, Zitti. This was great but it is not enough to make a Rigoletto.

Edoardo Saccenti