Rigoletto

Composed by Giuseppe Verdi, Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave

Premiered 1851 in Venice Sung in Italian with English Projected Titles

DATES October 25th, 30th, and November 2, 2025

VENUE Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver, BC

RUNNING TIME Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one 25-minute intermission.

The tragic tale of a father’s desperate love for his daughter—and the dangerous double-edged sword of vengeance—set against a backdrop of decadence and dark intrigue. The jester Rigoletto had long enjoyed the privilege of mocking the Duke of Mantua’s adversaries, but when his beloved daughter becomes the target of the morally corrupt Duke’s abuse, Rigoletto sets in motion a revenge plot that careens with the propulsive energy of an edge-of-the-seat thriller while bringing themes of opulence and oppression into sharp focus. Under director Glynis Leyshon (Flight of the Hummingbird) and the baton of Vancouver Opera Music Director Jacques Lacombe, unforgettable pieces like “La donna è mobile” and the heartwrenching “Caro nome” will soar to life, sung by extraordinary voices like the sought-after American baritone Michael Chioldi as Rigoletto, and, as Gilda, the award-winning UK-based Canadian soprano Sarah Dufresne, who Opera Canada praised for her “tremendous dramatic presence,” and “astonishing vocal dexterity.” In a new production built in partnership with Pacific Opera Victoria, our 2025–2026 season opener will push this tense tragedy’s boundaries while staying true to Verdi’s immortal story of love and revenge.

Heather Walker is a professional horn player and a core member of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. When not playing her horn, she teaches the Alexander Technique, a unique method for changing movement habits, improving posture, increasing awareness and avoiding tension and injuries. Please contact her for more information.