Rigoletto

Learning Resources for high school classrooms

We are excited to give teachers and students a glimpse into the story, music and images of Lyric’s 2024 production of Rigoletto. The presentation below serves to prepare classes for the performance experience. It can be used as a quick reference or a longer study guide with prompts for deeper consideration both before and after coming to the theater.

This slide deck contains: 

  • A list of characters

  • A summary of the story

  • Literary and artistic themes 

  • Listening examples

  • About the writers

  • Discussion prompts

Videos

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Unlocking the genius of Verdi's RIGOLETTO: Enrique Mazzola on its timeless success

Music Director Enrique Mazzola shares why Verdi's Rigoletto has stood the test of time and is the perfect way to open Lyric's 2024/25 Season.

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents Verdi's Rigoletto

Join Lyric Opera of Chicago for Giuseppe Verdi’s masterpiece Rigoletto, a powerfully dramatic work based on a play by Victor Hugo.

 

Lighting designer Duane Schuler sets the scene in RIGOLETTO

With more than 240 Lyric productions under his belt, lighting designer Duane Schuler adds nuance and color to Verdi's Rigoletto this fall. Hear about his artistic inspirations and see the classic opera come to blazing life.

Enrique Mazzola on the characters of Verdi's RIGOLETTO

Rigoletto's complex characters — from the naive Gilda to the duplicitous Duke of Mantua — have captivated audiences for centuries. Hear Music Director Enrique Mazzola discuss the iconic roles, and see him on the podium when Verdi's dramatic opera opens Lyric's 2024/25 Season on September 14.

Articles

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Igor Golovatenko returns!

Baritone Igor Golovatenko demonstrated extraordinary musical versatility early on, graduating first as a cellist from the Saratov Conservatory, then as a conductor from Moscow's Tchaikovsky Conservatory before turning to vocal studies at the Moscow Academy of Choral Arts. He first wowed Chicago audiences in 2022, with his Lyric debut as Rodrigue in Don Carlos.
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by Mary Birnbaum

Director's note: RIGOLETTO

One of the most rewarding aspects of directing standard repertoire is the opportunity to re-examine characters who were crafted before the dawn of modern dramaturgy in order to try to give voice to their stories with sufficient complexity and agency.
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Tenor Javier Camarena makes his Lyric debut in Rigoletto

The only person in history to sing an encore in three different productions at the Metropolitan Opera, Mexican tenor Javier Camarena will make his Lyric debut as the Duke of Mantua in Verdi's Rigoletto (Sept 14 - Oct 6, 2024). Originally from Xalapa, Veracruz in Mexico and now residing in Zurich, Switzerland, Camarena has achieved international acclaim for his burnished tone and commanding vocals.
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Rigolettos at Lyric

More than a dozen baritones have taken the demanding lead role here. Allow us to re-introduce five of the giants who graced the Lyric stage in the company’s first 40 years.
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Get to know: Verdi's Rigoletto

Lyric Opera of Chicago will open its 2024/25 Season with Giuseppe Verdi's masterpiece Rigoletto, one of the most powerfully dramatic works in the repertoire. Learn more about the iconic opera and see it live with an all-star cast September 14 through October 6, 2024.
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