May 09, 2017
Saimir Pirgu to make his debut at the Dutch National Opera in a new production of Rigoletto
On May 9, 2017 Saimir Pirgu will make his house debut at the Dutch National Opera of Amsterdam as the Duke of Mantua in a new production of Rigoletto staged by Damiano Michieletto and conducted by Maestro Carlo Rizzi, the first of ten performances running through June 5, 2017. Alongside Saimir Pirgu, Luca Salsi (Rigoletto), Lisette Oropesa (Gilda), Rafal Siwek (Sparafucile) and Annalisa Stroppa (Maddalena) will perform.
Saimir Pirgu is on record as saying that the Duke of Mantua is his most important role: “It is a high profile role that virtually all the most important tenors have sung and is as complex as it is satisfying. The most arduous part is the Act II cavatina and cabaletta: the tenor must have an excellent control of his instrument that will allow him to fluently perform it without the audience noticing the challenges of the aria itself.” When asked about Damiano Michieletto’s view of the Duke, the Albanian born Italian naturalized tenor replies: “I fully agree with his particularly tough and aggressive Duke; the Duke is not only the libertine singing “La donna è mobile”, but also a deeply selfish person with a hint of evil.”
Performances this year after this Rigoletto will lead Saimir Pirgu in his role debut as Gabriele Adorno in Simon Boccanegra to the Teatro San Carlo, as tenor soloist in Verdi’s Messa da Requiem to Madrid and Granada, in a Gala concert to Winterthur, as Alfredo in La traviata to the Teatro Colon Buenos Aires, and as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly to Zurich.
Information about Rigoletto at the Dutch National Opera:
Performances: May 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 28, 31; June 2, 5, 2017
Luca Salsi (Rigoletto), Lisette Oropesa (Gilda), Saimir Pirgu (Duca di Mantova), Rafal Siwak (Sparafucile), Annalisa Stroppa (Maddalena), Cornelia Oncioiu (Giovanna), Carlo Cigni (Monterone), Roberto Accurso (Marullo), Airam Hernandez (Borsa), Tomeu Bibiloni (Conte di Ceprano), Esther Kuiper (Contessa di Ceprano).
Damiano Michieletto (stage director), Carlo Rizzi (conductor)