Singer

Rigoletto exists on the margins of a world owned by the privileged few – and is despised by them for his difference. Twisted inside by the life he has been forced to lead, the only thing he lives for is his daughter, Gilda, of whom he is obsessively protective. When a combination of bitterness and bravura gets the better of him, the consequences for his most precious possession are fatal.

This bold, award-winning production by leading UK theatre artist Femi Elufowoju Jr is opera at its most gripping: a thrilling tale of power, love and revenge that includes one of opera’s most famous aria, ‘La donna è mobile’.

Rigoletto

Leeds Grand Theatre

Everything in Barrie Kosky’s production of The Magic Flute seems like a fairytale and each subsequent idea is a proof of the director’s enormous sense of humour: the composer must have had a lot of fun working with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s score. The red curtain opens to reveal nothing but a white screen where all the frolics will soon take place – the director will juggle elements of silent film, slapstick comedy and cartoon art. His collaborators, Suzanne Andrade and Paul Barritt, also known as “1927”, mixed film animation with live theatre. The effect is stunning. Papageno, the boisterous bumpkin portrayed here as a sad clown channelling Buster Keaton, gets drunk onstage in the company of pink elephants quaffing cocktails from flute glasses. The Queen of the Night is a huge spider, Monostatos appears as a pale vampire dressed as Count Dracula, while Pamina’s black wig with a fringe makes her look like Louise Brooks, the iconic silent film actress and dancer.

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Leonardo Sánchez

Events

Upcoming events

Oct 18 - Nov 20, 2026

Rigoletto · Opera North

Oct 18 - Nov 20, 2026

Rigoletto · Opera North

Apr 3 - Jun 5, 2027

The Magic Flute · Polish National Opera

Future and recently performed repertoire

Tamino in The Magic Flute by Mozart

Polish National Opera

Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto by Verdi

Opera North

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