Rigoletto Is the Feb. 23, 2019, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Summary: Rigoletto is the Feb. 23, 2019, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, numbering 13th of 24 in the 2018-2019 season’s schedule.

In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, American soprano Nadine Sierra reprises her Met Opera debut role as Verdi’s Gilda in Rigoletto: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Dec. 3, 2015

Verdi’s Rigoletto is the Feb. 23, 2019, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, airing as the 13th of 24 scheduled Saturday matinee radio broadcasts during the 2018-2019 Met Opera season.

Italian opera composer Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901) set his musical score for Rigoletto to an Italian libretto by Italian librettist Francesco Maria Piave (May 18, 1810-March 5, 1876). The libretto’s literary source is Le Roi s’amuse, a five-act play by French dramatist, novelist and poet Victor Hugo (Feb. 26, 1801-May 22, 1885). Set in the 15th century, Hugo’s play considers the excessive philandering pursuits of François Ier (Francis I, Sept. 12, 1494-March 31, 1547), French Renaissance King of France (Jan. 1, 1515-March 31, 1547).

La Comédie-Français premiered Hugo's play Nov. 22, 1832, in Salle Richelieu. Located at 2 rue de Richelieu, Salle Richelieu occupies the southwestern corner of the Palais-Royal complex, in the first arrondissement of Paris (1er arrondissement de Paris).

Le Roi s'amuse was banned after the play's first performance because of the subject of regicide (assassination of a king). Five decades passed before performances of Le Roi s'amuse were allowed. La Comédie-Française staged a round of performances, opening on the 50th anniversary of the play's premiere.

Verdi’s opera premiered March 11, 1851, at Teatro La Fenice in Venice, northeastern Italy. Almost two years later, on March 6, 1853, Teatro La Fenice premiered Verdi’s La Traviata.

Rigoletto’s Metropolitan Opera premiere happened Nov. 16, 1883. Three performances were offered during the 1883-1884 Met Opera season.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season offers 13 performances of Verdi’s Rigoletto. Opening night took place Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Three additional performances are offered in February: Saturday, Feb. 16, at 8 p.m.; Tuesday, Feb. 19, at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, Feb. 23, at 1 p.m. The performance Feb. 23 airs as the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s 13th Saturday matinee radio broadcast.

Five spring performances are slated for March. The month’s performances take place Friday, March 1, at 8 p.m.; Wednesday, March 6, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 9, at 8 p.m.; Friday, March 15, at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time; and Wednesday, March 20, at 8 p.m.

One spring performance takes place in April: Friday, April 26, at 8 p.m. The last three performances are set for May: Wednesday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 4, at 11 a.m.; and closing night, Friday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m.

Five spring performances, all in April, are offered. The month’s performances are scheduled for Thursday, April 4, at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time; Tuesday, April 9, at 8 p.m.; Friday, April 12, at 8 p.m.; Monday, April 15, at 8 p.m.; and closing night, Thursday, April 18, at 8 p.m.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s Rigoletto has an estimated run time of 3 hours 11 minutes. Act I spans 60 minutes. An intermission of 28 minutes follows. Act II is estimated at 33 minutes. An intermission of 34 minutes precedes Act III, which runs for 36 minutes.

Nicola Luisotti conducts all 13 performances. The Italian conductor’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Oct. 28, 2006, in the opera house’s 881st performance of Tosca by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924). During the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Nicola Luisotti two additional Verdi operas, Aida and La Traviata.

Nadine Sierra appears in February and March performances as Gilda, Rigoletto’s daughter. The American soprano reprises her Met Opera debut role. Her debut as Gilda happened Dec. 2, 2015, in the opera house’s 874th performance of Rigoletto.

Rosa Feola appears as Gilda April and May performances. The Italian operatic soprano makes her Metropolitan Opera debut as Verdi’s Gilda.

Ramona Zaharia appears in all performances as Maddalena, whose concern about sparing the degenerate Duke of Mantua’s life leads to Gilda’s tragic death. The Romanian mezzo-soprano makes her Metropolitan Opera debut as Verdi’s Maddalena.

Vittorio Grigolo appears in the first five performances (Feb. 12; Saturday matinee broadcast Feb. 16; Feb. 19, 23; March 1) as the skirt-chasing Duke of Mantua. The Italian operatic tenor’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Oct. 16, 2010, as Rodolfo in the opera house’s 1,218th performance of La Bohème by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924). Also in the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Vittorio Grigolo reprises his debut role.

Bryan Hymel appears as the Duke of Mantua in the month’s four additional performances (March 6, 9, 15, 20) and in the April and May performances. The American tenor’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Dec. 26, 2012, as Aeneas in the opera house’s 41st performance of Les Troyens by 19th century French Romantic composer Louis-Hector Berlioz (Dec. 11, 1803-March 8, 1869).

Update: The Metropolitan Opera announced via Twitter Feb. 12, that Bryan Hymel has withdrawn from the role for unspecified "personal reasons." Francesco Demuro, Matthew Polenzani and Stephen Costello will share the role of the Duke of Mantua.

Francesco Demuro sings the Duke of Mantua for the last four of March's five performances (Wednesday, March 6; Saturday, March 9; Friday, March 15; Wednesday, March 20). The Italian operatic tenor's Metropolitan Opera debut happened Nov. 24, 2014, as Rodolfo in the opera house's 1,266th performance of Puccini's La Bohème. In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Francesco Demuro also appears as Fenton in Verdi's Falstaff.

Matthew Polenzani sings the Duke of Mantua for the next three performances (Friday, April 26; Wednesday, May 1; Saturday, May 4). The American lyric tenor’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Dec. 19, 1997, as Khrushchov in the opera house’s 251st performance of Boris Godunov by Russian composer Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (March 21, 1839-March 28, 1881). During the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Matthew Polenzani also performs as Vaudémont in Iolanta by Russian late-Romantic composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (May 7, 1840-Nov. 6, 1893) and as Tito in La Clemenza di Tito by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791).

Stephen Costello sings the Duke of Mantua for closing night's performance, Friday, May 10. The American operatic tenor’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Sept. 24, 2007, as Arturo in the opera house’s 558th performance of Lucia di Lammermoor by Italian bel canto opera composer Domenico Gaetano Donizetti (Nov. 29, 1797-April 8, 1848). In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Stephen Costello also appears as Alfredo in Verdi's La Traviata.

Roberto Frontali appears in February and March performances as Rigoletto, Gilda’s father, whose insensitive mockeries as court jester have tragic consequences. The Italian baritone’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Nov. 14, 1992, as Belcore in the opera house’s 196th performance of Donizetti's L’Elisir d’Amore. In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Roberto Frontali also appears as Amonasro in Verdi’s Aida.

George Gagnidze appears as Rigoletto in April and May performances. The Georgian operatic baritone reprises his Metropolitan Opera debut role as Rigoletto. His Metropolitan debut happened Jan. 27, 2009, in the title role of the opera house’s 817th performance of Verdi's Rigoletto. In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, George Gagnidze also appears as Michele in Il Trittico segment of Puccini’s three one-act operas, Il Trittico.

Štefan Kocán appears in February and March performances as Sparafucile, a heartless assassin whose promise to his Duke of Mantua-infatuated sister, Maddalena, has devastating consequences. The Slovakian bass made his Metropolitan Opera debut Oct. 2, 2009, as the King in the opera house’s 1,104th performance of Verdi’s Aida. In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Štefan Kocán also performs as Ramfis in Verdi’s Aida and as the Commendatore in Mozart's Don Giovanni.

Dimitry Ivashchenko appears as Sparafucile in April and May performances. The  Russian baritone bass reprises his Metropolitan Opera debut role as Sparafucile. His Metropolitan Opera debut happened Dec. 2, 2015, in the opera house’s 874th performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s performances of Verdi’s Rigoletto revive Michael Mayer’s staging. The American film and stage director’s staging debuted Jan. 28, 2013, in the opera house’s 842nd performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto.

Michael Mayer’s production team comprises Christine Jones, set designer; Susan Hilferty, costume designer; Kevin Adams, lighting director; and Steven Hoggett, choreographer. Gregory Keller is the production’s revival stage director.

The takeaway for Verdi’s Rigoletto as the Feb. 23, 2019, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is that Verdi’s opera about a curse’s ironic power airs as the 13th of the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s 24 scheduled Saturday matinee radio broadcasts.

In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Italian operatic tenor Vittorio Grigolo reprises his 2012-2013 Met Opera season role as the licentious Duke of Mantua: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Feb. 15, 2018

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, American soprano Nadine Sierra reprises her Met Opera debut role as Verdi’s Gilda in Rigoletto: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Dec. 3, 2015, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10156389607825533/

In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Italian operatic tenor Vittorio Grigolo reprises his 2012-2013 Met Opera season role as the licentious Duke of Mantua: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Feb. 15, 2018, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10160137121705533/

For further information:

“Debut: Bryan Hymel.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354746 Les Troyens {41} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/26/2012.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354746

"Debut: Francesco Demuro." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355650 La Bohème {1266} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/24/2014.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355650

“Debut: George Gagnidze.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352823 Rigoletto {817} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/27/2009.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352823

“Debut: Nicola Luisotti.” MetOpera Database > “Debut: Nicola Luisotti.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351618 Tosca {881} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/28/2006.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351618

“Debut: Roberto Frontali.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 310550 l’Elisir d’Amore {196} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 11/14/1992.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=310550

“Debut: Stephen Costello, Mary Zimmerman, Daniel Ostling, Mara Blumenfeld, T. J. Gerckens, Daniel Pelzig.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352065 New Production Lucia di Lammermoor {558} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/24/2007.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352065

“Debuts: Alexei Ratmansky, Stefan Kocán, Adam Laurence Herskowitz.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353094 Aida {1104} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/02/2009.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353094

“Debuts: Constantin Pluzhnikov . . . Matthew Polenzani.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 330264 Boris Godunov {251} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/19/1997.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=330264

“Debuts: Nadine Sierra, Dimitry Ivashchenko.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356159 Rigoletto {874} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/02/2015.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356159

“Debuts: Roberto Rizzi Brignoli, Vittorio Grigolo . . .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353598 La Bohème {1218} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/16/2010.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353598

Hugo, Adèle. Victor Hugo Raconté par un Témoin de sa Vie. Tome premier. Paris, France: Librairie Internationale; Bruxelles, Belgium and Leipzig, Germany: Lacroix, Verboeckhoven et Cie, M.DCCC.LXIII (1863).
Available via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/details/victorhugoracon01hugo/

Hugo, Adèle. Victor Hugo Raconté par un Témoin de sa Vie. Tome deuxième. Paris, France: Librairie Internationale; Bruxelles, Belgium and Leipzig, Germany: Lacroix, Verboeckhoven et Cie, M.DCCC.LXIII (1863). Available via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/details/victorhugoracon02hugo/

Hugo, Victor. Le Roi S'Amuse. Paris, France: Eugène Renduel, Libraire, M.DCCC.XXXII (1832).
Available via Gallica -- The BnF (Bibliothèque nationale de France) Digital Library @ https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b86264574/

Marriner, Derdriu. “Rigoletto Is the Feb. 4, 2017, Metropolitan Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Jan. 30, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/01/rigoletto-is-feb-4-2017-metropolitan.html

Metropolitan Opera ‏@MetOpera."Bryan Hymel has withdrawn from Verdi’s Rigoletto, due to personal reasons. Francesco Demuro will sing the Duke on March 6, 9, 15, and 20; Matthew Polenzani will sing April 26, May 1, and 4; and Stephen Costello will sing May 10. #castchange." Twitter. Feb. 12, 2019.
Available @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1095432530889768960

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “Nadine Sierra at the curtain call of Verdi’s Rigoletto on 12/2. . . .” Facebook. Dec. 3, 2015.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10156389607825533/

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “Verdi’s tragic jester returns in Michael Mayer’s neon-bedecked, Las Vegas-themed production, with two exciting casts. Nicola Luisotti conducts. Opens February 12. Learn more: http://bit.ly/2F6h8hP Photo by Cory Weaver / Met Opera.” Facebook. Feb. 15, 2018.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10160137121705533/

“Metropolitan Opera Premiere: Rigoletto.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 1150 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Rigoletto {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/16/1883.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=1150

“New Production: Rigoletto.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354827 New Production Rigoletto {842} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/28/2013.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354827