- Adele Thomas makes WNO directorial debut in new production of Rigoletto
- Natalya Romaniw returns to WNO in Il trittico
- Opera Favourites returns with Opera at the Movies
Rigoletto
Port Talbot-born opera and music theatre director Adele Thomas makes her WNO directorial debut in a new production of Verdi’s Rigoletto, with Pietro Rizzo returning to conduct.
Verdi’s decadent tale of debauchery and deceit which will open the Autumn Season is set in the ruthless court of the Duke of Mantua. This heart-wrenching tale explores the web of love, betrayal and the consequences of power. Verdi wrote that Rigoletto was his best opera, and this new production showcases a tapestry of emotions and unforgettable melodies, including The Duke’s aria La donna è mobile and one of opera’s most famous quartets Bella figlia dell'amore.
Designs for the production are created by European Opera Prize winner Annemarie Woods.
The cast includes Daniel Luis de Vicente who will sing the title role, with Leonardo Capalbo returning to WNO to sing The Duke. Also returning to WNO is Soraya Mafi who will sing Gilda. The cast also includes Paul Carey Jones as Monterone, Nathanael Tavernier as Sparafucile, Natalia Kutateladze who makes her WNO debut as Maddalena, and Zwkele Tshabalala as Borsa.
Rigoletto will open in Cardiff on 21 September before touring to Llandudno, Plymouth, Oxford and Southampton.
Director Adele Thomas said:
‘Rigoletto is a brutal stare into human darkness. As a work of drama, it rivals the work of Shakespeare and Racine for its deep humanity and devasting storytelling. The music is magnificent from start to finish. We want to make a production that draws on Verdi’s love of the Shakespearean stage and the fire of his politics. It is a thrill to finally be making work at home in Wales. WNO is where I first fell in love with opera, and it is an honour to be creating this work there.’
Il trittico | Suor Angelica & Gianni Schicchi
Following its WNO premiere in June 2024, Puccini’s triptych of one-act operas Il trittico returns to Cardiff’s Wales Millennium Centre in September alongside Rigoletto. This time the operas are conducted by Alexander Joel who returns after conducting La traviata in Autumn 2023.
New to the Autumn cast will be soprano Natalya Romaniw who returns to WNO’s main stage for the first time since her performance in Eugene Onegin (2017) to sing Sister Angelica (Suor Angelica) and Giorgetta (Il tabarro). Making their WNO debuts are baritone Aluda Todua and tenor Andrés Presno who join the Autumn cast. Aluda will sing Michele (Il tabarro) and the title role in Gianni Schicchi and Andrés will sing Luigi (Il tabarro). Also making her Company debut is mezzo-soprano Yvonne Howard, who will sing La Frugola (Il tabarro) and La Suora Infermiera (Suor Angelica). Welsh tenor Trystan Llŷr Griffiths returns to WNO to sing Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi) and Young Lover (Il tabarro). Mark Le Brocq also returns to WNO as Il Tinca (Il tabarro) and Gherarado (Gianni Schicchi) after his critically acclaimed performance as Aschenbach in Death in Venice. Also new to the cast for the performances in the Autumn are Anne Mason and Linda Richardson. Haegee Lee, Sioned Gwen Davies, Benjamin Bevan, James Cleverton and Wojtek Gierlach all reprise their roles from the summer performances.
Two of the operas, Suor Angelica & Gianni Schicchi will tour as a double bill alongside Rigoletto to Llandudno, Plymouth and Southampton during October and November.
Audiences in Oxford will have the opportunity to enjoy a concert performance of the trio of operas in one night on 25 October.
Conductor Alexander Joel said:
‘Il trittico is in my opinion one the greatest works written - three incredible operas, all with different musical and emotional colours that never fail to fascinate the audience. I can’t wait to return to WNO again, especially with music from Puccini, my favourite opera composer.’
Opera Favourites
WNO Orchestra and Chorus will again take centre-stage for the return of WNO’s Opera Favourites concert with the theme of Opera at the Movies. This time the concert features a new programme of popular arias and songs that feature in films including Pretty Woman, The Shawshank Redemption and Quantum of Solace alongside Largo al Factotum from The Barber of Seville and Te Deum from Tosca to name a few. Opera Favourites will be performed in Llandudno, Plymouth and Southampton.
Life on Our Planet in Concert
WNO Orchestra returns to Bristol performing this time at Bristol Beacon to accompany Netflix’s Life on Our Planet in Concert. In association with Netflix and Silverback Films, the eight-part series tells the story of life’s epic battles to conquer and survive on planet Earth and is narrated by Academy Award-winner Morgan Freeman. This new natural history immersive concert experience will present the highlights from across the series alongside a live soundtrack played by WNO Orchestra.
Outreach and Engagement
WNO’s regular Programmes and Engagement activity, including Wellness with WNO, Cradle Choir and Teach, will continue throughout the year. There will also be Schools Concerts in Cardiff and on tour during the Autumn.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Welsh National Opera is the national opera company for Wales, funded by the Arts Councils of Wales and England to provide large-scale opera, concerts and outreach across Wales and to major cities in the English regions. We endeavour to provide transformative experiences through our education and outreach programme and our award-winning digital projects. We work with our partners to discover and nurture young operatic talent, and we aim to show future generations that opera is a rewarding, relevant and universal art form with the power to affect and inspire.
WNO production images are available for download atwno.org.uk/press
Further information on WNO’s productions can be found atwno.org.uk
- Leading production support from the Colwinston Charitable Trust
- Production support from Dunard Fund.
- Il trittico is supported by Christopher Greene and Annmaree O’Keeffe, David Macfarlane, Paul Burbidge, Richard Jackson and other il trittico supporters
- Production support for Il trittico and Rigoletto comes from Sheila and Richard Brooks.
- Il trittico is a co-production with Scottish Opera.
- WNO Teach is supported by the Garfield Weston Foundation.
- Cradle is supported by the Ivor and Aeres Evans Charitable Trust.
- Wellness with WNO is supported by Arts Council Wales via the Arts, Health, and Wellbeing Lottery Fund.
- WNO Orchestra is supported by Mathew and Lucy Prichard. Principal chairs in the orchestra are supported by our Principal Players Circle.
- WNO Associate Artist programme is supported by the Shirley & Rolf Olsen Bursary, Sheila and Richards Brooks Bursary, Joseph Strong Frazer Trust, Anthony Evans Scholarship, the Stanley Picker Trust, Chris Ball Bursary, and The Parry Family.
For more information, photos or interviews please contact:
Christina Blakeman, Press Manager
Christina.blakeman@wno.org.uk
Rhys Edwards, Communications Manager
Rhys.edwards@wno.org.uk
Sophie Revell, Press and Communications Assistant
Sophie.revell@wno.org.uk
Penny James and Rachel Bowyer, Head of Communications (job-share) Penny.james@wno.org.uk/ Rachel.bowyer@wno.org.uk
