Rigoletto – Verdi

‘Keith Darlington conducted a chamber ensemble with gusto, and, with the extra immediacy provided by Amanda Holden’s translation, the packed house was held in thrall.’
Daily Telegraph

This translation was commissioned by English Touring Opera for their 1996 season; the cast included Gail Pearson and Glenville Hargreaves and the production, by Stephen Medcalf and conducted by  Martin André, opened at Sadlers Wells.

Other productions include:
Mid Wales Opera tour 2004; directed by Martin Lloyd-Evans, conducted by Keith Darlington

Rigoletto, 1996

Allegretto – La donna è mobile

DUKE

Women are mischievous, flighty as feathers…
friends in fair weather, but they deceive you.
Endlessly treacherous, laughing and smiling,
sweetly beguiling… love you and leave you.
He will be miserable, sad and despairing
if he’s too caring, what a sad story!
But if he’s celebate, bitter and wasted,
he won’t have tasted love’s greater glory.
Women are wilful, flighty as feathers,
friends in fair weather, but they deceive.