Rigoletto opens this Monday, February 21st. Directed by Doris Dörrie this production has a mix of many sci-fi movies that come together to bring the audience one large cinematic experience.
Replace the usual stuffy costumes and rococo sets with a barren world of The Planet of the Apes- complete with apes. Who else could our lucky astronaut be but Rigoletto himself with his daughter Gilda- who happen to be the only two humans on the planet. Gilda, however, is princess Leia and Sparafucile the assassin is Lord Vader himself. Giovanna is transformed in this production into that wonderful robot from Lost in Space that practically says "Danger Rigoletto! Danger Rigoletto!" The movie screen in the back gives you a perpetual sense of being in a Space Oddesy 2001 scene while at the same time giving great effects that correctly enhance the scenes, rather than detract. This is no ordinary opera folks.
My thoughts are that the German audiences will either love it because they get it and it works or they will hate it because they just don't understand. It is a new look at a classic piece and I for one am glad that they chose to greenlight this production.
Rigoletto Photo Gallery
Click Here for a movie download about the rehearsal process, a bit of the show and some commentary from the Director.
Dates: 21/24/27 February; 2/5 March; 6/9 July 2005
Tickets can be purchased online but some earlier shows are sold out at this point. Tickets can also be bought at the door from convenient hotel clerks who buy large blocks for their guests and then their guests don't go and they sell them off just before the show outside.
Sci-fi shows borrowed from:
The Planet of the Apes
Space Oddesy 2001
Lost in Space
Star Wars
Throw in a Louis Vuitton Handbag, a Light Saber, a little Rapunzel crossover, and Eastwood's Orangutan 'Clyde' from Every Which Way But Loose and call it a night.
Germany's English-speaking crowd
In association with The Local
In association with The Local
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Rigoletto meets Sci-Fi - Munich
Bavarian State Opera - Feb/Mar/Jul.2005
Synopsis of Doris Dörrie's Rigoletto. Munich, February 28, 2005.
[size=1]please print and take with you to the show
(before you begin reading, right click here and 'open in new window' for background music to read to)
ACT I. Setting the barren Planet of the Apes far far in the future. The buildings are the crumbled remains of the famous opera houses of the world. Rigoletto (Charlton Heston) just landed on the planet and buried his co-pilot who did not survive in the landing. A troop of monkeys appear including the king of the apes, the Duke (not Tarzan, Lord of the Apes btw). The apes all wear costume pieces they have pilfered from the rubble of the opera houses.
Rigoletto with his fancy Light Saber helps the Duke to seduce Ceprano's wife and makes a fool of Ceprano. Marullo announces that the human, Rigoletto, might have a mistress at the Space Capsule and all plot revenge on Rigoletto who is only shielded from the troop of monkeys by the Light Saber he wields. Monterone, an orangutan, (Clyde, Every Which Way But Loose) appears and denounces the Duke for seducing his daughter. Ridiculed by Rigoletto, the Duke and everyone present, Monterone calls out a curse upon both Rigoletto and the Duke.
Just as Rigoletto is left alone brooding on Monterone's curse, Sparafucile (Darth Vader) appears and offers his services as an assassin. Rigoletto rejects his offer of the Dark Side knowing that words can work just as well to kill.
Rigoletto returns to his home, the Space Capsule, and the small tent he has set up on the bleak surface of the planet. He is greeted by his daughter Gilda (Princess Leia - no relation to Darth Vader in this case). While be reminisces about his late wife, Giovanna (The Family Robot, Lost in Space) sets the dinner table. Here Gilda lets down her hair and becomes a true Rapunzel character as Rigoletto chains her to the Space Capsule to keep her safe and instructs Giovanna not to let any monkeys come near.
Before he is ten steps away the Duke (king of the apes) appears and distracts the robot and cuts the chains of Gilda as the two of introduce themselves. He hears a noise and rushes away leaving her to sing his name and fall in love with him as she climbs in the tent for a good night's sleep.
Ceprano, Marullo and Borsa (the three stooges) spy on the drowsy girl in their attempt to lay a plan to abduct her. Just as the troop of monkeys arrive Rigoletto returns. In the darkness Marullo convinces him that they are out to abduct Ceprano's wife for the Duke to sleep with and he agrees to help. He is blind folded and holds a ladder while the monkeys steal the tent that contains his daughter. He hears her cries for help and only too late does he realize what has happened.
ACT II. In a large overturned Louis Vuitton Handbag, the Duke is distraught over the disappearance of Gilda. When the monkeys return they tell the story of their abduction of her. She is horrified when she is carried blindfolded into a room of screaming monkeys. She quickly falls into the arms of the Duke and they retreat to the Handbag to consumate their love.
Rigoletto enters, looking for his daughter Gilda. Ceprano, Borsa and Marullo pretend that the Duke is not home till someone spills the beans. They tell him to go look for his 'lover' elsewhere. Now Rigoletto turns angry as he reveals that the girl is not his mistress but his daughter. He tries to whip the monkeys back but they overpower him with nets (ie: Charlton Heston) till he begs for mercy.
The Handbag opens revealing a naked Gilda and a satisfied Duke who leaves. Rigoletto scares the rest of the monkeys away by showing them their reflection in a broken mirror. Gilda relates her story of love and Rigoletto takes it for dishonor, just as Monterone did his own daughter. Monterone appears and Rigoletto vows to avenge them both.
ACT III. At night, Sparafucile's (Lord Vader) home looks like a run down brothel from an Amsterdam street corner. Rigoletto and Gilda watch as the Duke flirts with the assassin's sister and accomplice, Maddalena (the devil in disguise). Rigoletto sends his daughter off to disguise herself as a monkey for her escape, then pays Sparafucile to murder the Duke who happens to be upstairs. Rigoletto satisfied it will work, leaves.
As a storm rages, Gilda (Leia) returns to hear Maddalena (the devil) persuade her brother (Vader) to kill not the Duke but the next visitor to the inn instead, whom ever that may turn out to be.
Resolving to sacrifice herself for the Duke, despite his betrayal, Gilda enters the inn in disguise becoming that next visitor. Lord Vader wields his Light Saber and delivers a fatal wound to Gilda - who is still dressed as a monkey.
Rigoletto comes back to claim the body and gloats over the sack Sparafucile gives him, only to hear the Duke singing upstairs still. Frantically cutting open the sack, he finds Gilda, who dies asking forgiveness.
The Orangutan's curse is fulfilled.
[size=1]please print and take with you to the show
(before you begin reading, right click here and 'open in new window' for background music to read to)
ACT I. Setting the barren Planet of the Apes far far in the future. The buildings are the crumbled remains of the famous opera houses of the world. Rigoletto (Charlton Heston) just landed on the planet and buried his co-pilot who did not survive in the landing. A troop of monkeys appear including the king of the apes, the Duke (not Tarzan, Lord of the Apes btw). The apes all wear costume pieces they have pilfered from the rubble of the opera houses.
Rigoletto with his fancy Light Saber helps the Duke to seduce Ceprano's wife and makes a fool of Ceprano. Marullo announces that the human, Rigoletto, might have a mistress at the Space Capsule and all plot revenge on Rigoletto who is only shielded from the troop of monkeys by the Light Saber he wields. Monterone, an orangutan, (Clyde, Every Which Way But Loose) appears and denounces the Duke for seducing his daughter. Ridiculed by Rigoletto, the Duke and everyone present, Monterone calls out a curse upon both Rigoletto and the Duke.
Just as Rigoletto is left alone brooding on Monterone's curse, Sparafucile (Darth Vader) appears and offers his services as an assassin. Rigoletto rejects his offer of the Dark Side knowing that words can work just as well to kill.
Rigoletto returns to his home, the Space Capsule, and the small tent he has set up on the bleak surface of the planet. He is greeted by his daughter Gilda (Princess Leia - no relation to Darth Vader in this case). While be reminisces about his late wife, Giovanna (The Family Robot, Lost in Space) sets the dinner table. Here Gilda lets down her hair and becomes a true Rapunzel character as Rigoletto chains her to the Space Capsule to keep her safe and instructs Giovanna not to let any monkeys come near.
Before he is ten steps away the Duke (king of the apes) appears and distracts the robot and cuts the chains of Gilda as the two of introduce themselves. He hears a noise and rushes away leaving her to sing his name and fall in love with him as she climbs in the tent for a good night's sleep.
Ceprano, Marullo and Borsa (the three stooges) spy on the drowsy girl in their attempt to lay a plan to abduct her. Just as the troop of monkeys arrive Rigoletto returns. In the darkness Marullo convinces him that they are out to abduct Ceprano's wife for the Duke to sleep with and he agrees to help. He is blind folded and holds a ladder while the monkeys steal the tent that contains his daughter. He hears her cries for help and only too late does he realize what has happened.
ACT II. In a large overturned Louis Vuitton Handbag, the Duke is distraught over the disappearance of Gilda. When the monkeys return they tell the story of their abduction of her. She is horrified when she is carried blindfolded into a room of screaming monkeys. She quickly falls into the arms of the Duke and they retreat to the Handbag to consumate their love.
Rigoletto enters, looking for his daughter Gilda. Ceprano, Borsa and Marullo pretend that the Duke is not home till someone spills the beans. They tell him to go look for his 'lover' elsewhere. Now Rigoletto turns angry as he reveals that the girl is not his mistress but his daughter. He tries to whip the monkeys back but they overpower him with nets (ie: Charlton Heston) till he begs for mercy.
The Handbag opens revealing a naked Gilda and a satisfied Duke who leaves. Rigoletto scares the rest of the monkeys away by showing them their reflection in a broken mirror. Gilda relates her story of love and Rigoletto takes it for dishonor, just as Monterone did his own daughter. Monterone appears and Rigoletto vows to avenge them both.
ACT III. At night, Sparafucile's (Lord Vader) home looks like a run down brothel from an Amsterdam street corner. Rigoletto and Gilda watch as the Duke flirts with the assassin's sister and accomplice, Maddalena (the devil in disguise). Rigoletto sends his daughter off to disguise herself as a monkey for her escape, then pays Sparafucile to murder the Duke who happens to be upstairs. Rigoletto satisfied it will work, leaves.
As a storm rages, Gilda (Leia) returns to hear Maddalena (the devil) persuade her brother (Vader) to kill not the Duke but the next visitor to the inn instead, whom ever that may turn out to be.
Resolving to sacrifice herself for the Duke, despite his betrayal, Gilda enters the inn in disguise becoming that next visitor. Lord Vader wields his Light Saber and delivers a fatal wound to Gilda - who is still dressed as a monkey.
Rigoletto comes back to claim the body and gloats over the sack Sparafucile gives him, only to hear the Duke singing upstairs still. Frantically cutting open the sack, he finds Gilda, who dies asking forgiveness.
The Orangutan's curse is fulfilled.
I hear Ceprano is the hottest monkey on stage. Can't wait to see.
German audiences will either love it... or they will hate it.
Well, it was boo'd like I have never heard. They even threw bananas. I would say that the over all feeling was that they hated the production and didn't really care for the Rigoletto (who did a great job, btw). There aren't any reviews online yet that I have found. Does anyone have a paper?
Cheers to Badger and 3 Lions for turning out.
Wow, bananas! They came prepared, just like in the old days. That should get people talking.
You are likely to find reviews in tomorrow's paper, as most published today's before the show even started yesterday.
You are likely to find reviews in tomorrow's paper, as most published today's before the show even started yesterday.
My first ever Opera and I must say I really enjoyed it. Again thanks to Profundo.
Ok, the whole Monkey Business did throw me at the beginning and it did take a while to get used to. Also I didnt get the idea behind the giant handbag, but then again I dont think anyone did. Act 2 was a lot easier to follow than the 1st Act.
A few too many monkeys at certain points.
The stand in for the Duke was brilliant. Rigoletto was great. Profundo was also great.
My colleague found this piece and this piece about last nights show.
Ok, the whole Monkey Business did throw me at the beginning and it did take a while to get used to. Also I didnt get the idea behind the giant handbag, but then again I dont think anyone did. Act 2 was a lot easier to follow than the 1st Act.
A few too many monkeys at certain points.
The stand in for the Duke was brilliant. Rigoletto was great. Profundo was also great.
My colleague found this piece and this piece about last nights show.
We are well into the third run of this show now.
One show last Sunday, one tonight and one more on this Friday.
The boos and bananas have long since been over and now everyone cheers the job that the singers do, rather than worry about cat-calling the Director, who has moved on to other projects as of late. The opera house has smartly cast the superstar Anna Netrebko as the lead female whose daily movements are probably echoed in the newspapers. (You might recognize this girl from her ad campaign for O2 where she is sitting in the bathtub with a laptop. Those posters are all over town at the moment.)
Tonight, Moko and Space are coming out to see the show. I believe it will be their first opera ever.
Congrats, guys on that and on the whole wedding thingy too.
One show last Sunday, one tonight and one more on this Friday.
The boos and bananas have long since been over and now everyone cheers the job that the singers do, rather than worry about cat-calling the Director, who has moved on to other projects as of late. The opera house has smartly cast the superstar Anna Netrebko as the lead female whose daily movements are probably echoed in the newspapers. (You might recognize this girl from her ad campaign for O2 where she is sitting in the bathtub with a laptop. Those posters are all over town at the moment.)
Tonight, Moko and Space are coming out to see the show. I believe it will be their first opera ever.
Congrats, guys on that and on the whole wedding thingy too.
Last night the National Theater was lit up as an advertisement for O2. The projection of rising bubbles and scrolling words lasted for several hours while people entered the theater for the closing night of Rigoletto. Superstar Netrebko was fabulous of course and there was a huge press party afterwards. The head guy for O2 said a few things including how much they have donated to the Kinder- und Jegendtag of the Staatsoper (The "kids' day" concert is Sunday, btw) which is about 60,000 if I heard correctly.
Lots of hand shaking and h'orderves but of particular note are the O2 girls in white whose job it was to stand around like human statues at the entrances and at the corners of the press stage. Follow this link for some photos and take particular note of the jewelry.
I will try to check the German news sources in the next couple of days for any updates or clarifications.
Lots of hand shaking and h'orderves but of particular note are the O2 girls in white whose job it was to stand around like human statues at the entrances and at the corners of the press stage. Follow this link for some photos and take particular note of the jewelry.
I will try to check the German news sources in the next couple of days for any updates or clarifications.
Profundo (or anyone else who may know)--
What's the skinny on cheap tickets? Besides the hotel clerk tip, what would you recommend? Standing room? Student tickets? Rush tickets?
Just another starving artist,
Edie
What's the skinny on cheap tickets? Besides the hotel clerk tip, what would you recommend? Standing room? Student tickets? Rush tickets?
Just another starving artist,
Edie
Edie,
check out the informative post Getting tickets at the National Theater. Lots of info on Student Tickets, Rush Tickets, etc.
Best,
prof
check out the informative post Getting tickets at the National Theater. Lots of info on Student Tickets, Rush Tickets, etc.
Best,
prof
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