54th MAY OPERA EVENINGS
GIUSEPPE VERDI
“RIGOLETTO”
May 13, 2026, 8:00 PM
Conductor: Gianluca Martinenghi – Italy
Director: Pier Francesco Maestrini – Italy
Asst. Conductor: Katerina Stojkovska
Asst. Director: Trajko Jordanovski, Ljupka Jakimovska
Set Designer: Guillermo Nova – Spain
Costume Designer: Cristina Aceti – Italy
Asst. Costume Designer: Angela Bogevska
Concert Master: [TBA]
Lighting Design: Milcho Alexandrov
Chorus Masters: Jasmina Gjorgjeska, Gjurgjica Dashikj
Choreographer: Sasha Eftimova
Repetiteurs: Elena Siljanoska, Janinka Nevcheva, Andreja Naunov, Anastasija Grgovska
Stage Managers: Dragan Kostadinovikj, Marko Pavlevski, Katerina Boshkovska
Prompters: Nevena Georgieva, Ivana Jordanovska
CAST:
RIGOLETTO: Daniele Luis De Vicente – Italy
GILDA: Ana Durlovski
THE DUKE OF MANTUA: Dashuai Chen – China
SPARAFUCILE: Vladimir Sazdovski
MADDALENA: Nikolina Janevska
MONTERONE: Borko Bidzhovski
MARULLO: Dragan Ampov
BORSA: Jane Dunimagloski
COUNTESS CEPRANO: Ana Rojdeva
COUNT CEPRANO: Dime Petrov
GIOVANNA: Marika Popovich
PAGE: Desanka Gligorijevikj
OFFICER: Dime Petrov
CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA OF THE NATIONAL OPERA AND BALLET
SYNOPSIS
A ball is being held at the palace of the Duke of Mantua. The Duke is openly courting Countess Ceprano. The court jester, Rigoletto, mocks Count Ceprano, while Marullo informs the courtiers that Rigoletto secretly keeps a young and beautiful mistress. They plot to kidnap her. The ball is interrupted by Count Monterone, whose daughter has been dishonored by the Duke. As everyone ridicules him—Rigoletto most of all—Monterone places a curse upon both the Duke and the jester.
Disturbed by the curse, Rigoletto heads home. Near his house, he encounters Sparafucile, a professional assassin who offers his services. Inside, Rigoletto talks tenderly with his daughter, Gilda, and strictly instructs the nurse, Giovanna, to let no one into the house. After he leaves, the Duke arrives disguised as a poor student, Gualtier Maldé. He bribes Giovanna to let him in and declares his love to Gilda.
Meanwhile, the courtiers gather outside to kidnap Gilda. They encounter Rigoletto and trick him into believing they are abducting Countess Ceprano from the neighboring palace. Blindfolded, Rigoletto joins the plot and holds the ladder. Once they have gone, he removes the blindfold only to discover with horror that he has assisted in the kidnapping of his own daughter. Monterone’s curse begins to take root.
At the palace, the courtiers are shocked when Rigoletto reveals that the girl they kidnapped is his daughter. In a fit of rage, Rigoletto storms the Duke’s chambers. Gilda emerges in shame and runs to her father. Rigoletto swears vengeance, while Gilda begs him to forgive the Duke.
Rigoletto strikes a deal with Sparafucile at his tavern to have the Duke murdered. He sends Gilda away disguised in men’s clothing for her safety, but she returns, desperate to see the Duke one last time. She overhears a conversation between Sparafucile and his sister, Maddalena, who pleads for the Duke’s life. Sparafucile agrees to spare the Duke if he can find a substitute victim before midnight to satisfy the contract. Gilda decides to sacrifice herself. In the darkness, Sparafucile stabs Gilda and places her body in a sack. When Rigoletto arrives to claim the body, he prepares to throw it into the river, but suddenly hears the Duke’s voice singing in the distance. Horrified, he opens the sack to find his dying daughter. With her final breath, Gilda asks for his forgiveness. Rigoletto cries out in despair as Monterone’s curse is finally fulfilled.