It didn`t change much the Opera from Craiova, since the last article from two months ago. :-) And neither did the city... I mean yes, the local football team, Craiova University finished the Championship on the 5th place, a performance if we look at their last 20 years history, or an average result, not worth mentioning, if we look at the whole Romanian history of the same sport. University Craiova was champion 4 times, vice-champion 5 times, plus 7 times on the 3rd position and 6 won Romanian Cups!
The women handball team finished on the 5th place, but this position represents the best performance of the city in this type of sport, in which the local team has only 7 years of activity. And the achievement was crowned by the unofficial title of winter vice-champion, with the third place in the Romanian Cup (after the two great forces of the country) and with the first participation at the European Cup, event planned for this autumn.

As for the rest... a weird public! I am referring about the opera now. Because at the operetta "Viennese blood" held four days ago, the hall was full, and at "Rigoletto", a spectacle infinitely better, the hall was empty, with indulgence half full! The conclusion from the previous article, that in Craiova the little ones know way better how to appreciate music than the big ones, was said as a joke, but it appears it was serious...
Maybe the day was to blame-because the spectacle was Thursday- but also the advertising. I didn`t see any posters in the city. It wasn`t present even the let us say traditional one, of about 4-5 meters height, which the Opera hangs near the entrance. But even so, all those present four days ago knew about this "Rigoletto" so... still the local (Oltenian) children are smarter. :-)

The spectacle had the advantage of an event that I have been waiting for quite some time. An excellent interpret of many important roles like: Banul de Luna, voivode Amonasro, zoo technician Escamillo, `otzul Oedipe, police man Scarpia, hair stylist Figaro, geezer Germont-the old one and many others :-) , I was waiting for quite some time to see Stefan Ignat play as Gilda`s father. I do not know why they didn`t approach him by now, but I thought they were waiting for him to become a geezer :-) . His debut in this role took place now in Craiova and as always the Romanian baritone was magnificent. His experience on the stage made looked like he had no emotions for this new debut, if he had any emotions at all. :-)

The distribution was completed by a sweet Guildutza as in voice and as... design :-) neither Maddalena was a pushover. When I saw her for the first time, with a thin waist and so "fat" that I was afraid that the breeze, not the wind, will blow her away I was afraid that her voice will be as weak, but no mention of something like this.
(By the way, this type of Gildutza... why does it pay a full ticket for a train or airplane... just like Mr. Sorin Draniceanu, for exemple, which is at least two times... bigger... as voice, is it because his a bass? :-) )

The decorations were simple. But... according to the budget, Mister Fanica, according to the budget. A wall which is slightly bent on which a sky with a few clouds is drawn. In front of the stage there are two white tables and four chairs plus some lampions. The men are wearing black business suits, ties and the women are in long evening dresses in different colors (pink, cream, brown, white, green and purple). The Duke is wearing a suit without a tie and a red band just like the mayors when they destroy people... aaa, when they marry people :-)
Rigoletto has a small hump and is wearing a suit that looks like a dark blue track-suit, with black, short shoes that has a vertical white stripe on the sides, a collar from big petals, pink, grey-haired raised on his head like he has his fingers in plug :-)

"Vendeeeta! " - "Revenge! "
Monterone isn`t a bass; he has a mustered trench instead of a coat and a garnet scarf-tie over his shirt.
"A neeeew insuuuult! I shall disturb your orgy with my shout! "

The second act begins without a pause after the first, like it`s supposed to. A few walls, probably from plasterboard, put in the middle of the scene represents the buffoon house. Inside, there is a table, two chairs made from wood and a bed made from iron just like in a hospital.

"When you have a beautiful woman... Sparafuciiill is mine name! "

"Pari siamo! " - "How much of a resemblance! "
"But another man you will find in me, here! "

Gilda was in bed all this time! She gets up when her father is entering the house. She is wearing a blue silky dress, with white sleeves, collaret, white sandals. She is thin and very cute :-) (White and blue meaning University Craiova :-)
Rigoletto takes his coat off and his... hair and all that remains is Stefan Ignat in a white shirt :-)

"Country, relatives, and friends you didn`t had?"
"Country, relatives, friends, / worship, family, country./ my Universe is you! "

The Duke arrives with a red grenadine.
"Gualtier Malde, student, very poor."

"Goodbye, goodbye, life`s hope! "

"Sweet name, that charmed me. Your name, my love, has slipped into my soul unnoticed."
Gilda sings lying on the bed, but doesn`t have any problems from this motif. Then she gets up, takes off her dress and remains in a white fluffy slip... Mmmm... :-)

The noblemen are coming. They have masks on their eyes, black hats and cloaks, holding candles with a bulb in their hands and bringing a wooden ladder.
"Zitti! Zitti! " - "Without a sound! In silence we shall work! "

"Somebody help me! "
"Victoooryyy! "
The noblemen are leaving; Gilda isn`t lying on her bed. Rigoletto is somewhere on the right, "supporting" the house`s wall.

"Aaaah! Aaaah! Aaaah! La maledizioooone! " - "Aaaah! Aaaah! Aaaah! The curse has gained on me!

"Ella mi fu rapita! " - "She was kidnapped! "
The scenery of the 3rd act: the back wall is painted just like sundown, in front of it a lot of chairs, some white metal tables and two drunks with their heads on them are "mending" after U. Craiova match. :-)

"Duke, Duke, We kidnapped
Rigolleto`s mistress! "

"Good afternoon, Rigolleto! "

"Forgive me, my lords! Have mercy and give me the child! "

Gilda is coming. She`s still wearing the white slip, still ultra-sexy. :-)

"With children and madmen/ it`s better not to play /Let us get closer/ to observe the madman! /"

Rigolleto is imperial! His face is waiting to burst into tears while Gilda relates.

"I will know what remains to be done this time! Yes, revenge, dire revenge! "

Act four, a wall in the middle parallel with the pit, left side light green and the right one in dark pink. Sparafucile reads the newspaper and see`s the title, U Craiova is at a new beginning! :-) The wall has a window, from which Rigoletto and Gilda are looking inside the inn for clues about the fifthhundredthirtyeight beginning of U Craiova. :-)

"La donna e mobile! " - "the woman is changing"
Gildutza is suffering.

On the right, on a dark red bed, matching the wall of his room, we find Maddalena. Out from under the red sheet, in a silky violet slip, fishnet stockings garters, she is ultra-sexy. I`m in love for second time in the same night. :-)
("An-che do-nul e mo-bile! " Does it work? :-) )

"Bella figlia dell`amooore! " - "your ravishing beauty makes me your slave for eternity! "
The duke took the words from my mouth. :-)

Maddalena attracts the Duke in the room, knocks him on the bed, climbs on him and pulls the red sheet over them. I think their working on the future of U Craiova! :-)

"20 excuse you said? 10 before 10 after the fact."

"He`s Offense, I am Revenge! "

"Dying for him is all I want! "
Gilda is stabbed. The curtain is dropping, still singing! Curtain rises, the wall / inn has disappeared! Only the arched back wall, in blue blue-green, remained... enchanting show. I mean inappropriate for the dark given context.

"How strong I felt! "
Rigoletto drags a sack after him.
"I am the jester, he is the master, and he sits at my feet. Victoooryyyyy! "

"The woman is changing! "

"But who dwell in it be you?"

"Aaaah! Aaaah! Aaaah! La maledizioooone! "

A great show, too bad it was a small audience. But I liked it; I had the front row all for myself. :-)

It`s the first "Rigoletto" I saw in Craiova, after two failed attempts because something came up at work or I changed my mind. This time, Stefan Ignat prompted me with his debut in the role as Triboulet. ;-)

This is the first article that I`m writing about "Rigoletto" a show that I saw in Bucharest, Brasov, Constanta, Craiova, Hunedoara, but never abroad on scene! Mentioning "scene" because I saw it on a big screen, at the cinema, the London version (Royal Opera House), Dresden and Taormina. By far, the most I liked is the old version in Bucharest!

I do not know about the Duke of Mantua or about Rigoletto, but at least I learned Sparafucile is a fan of U Craiova! I will invite him to join the Fan Club "Blue Lions". ;-)

Distribution:
Duke of Mantua - Florin OrmeniÅŸan
Rigoletto - Stefan Ignat (Bucharest debut)
Gilda - Veronica AnuÅŸca (Bucharest)
Sparafucile - Sorin Draniceanu
Maddalena - Ljubica Branes (Belgrade, Serbia)
Giovanna - Mihaela Popa
Monterone - Mircea Tudor
Marullo - John Cherata
Borsa - Bogdan Olaru
Count di Ceprano - Adrian GrÄƒdinaru
Countess di Ceprano - Noemi Modra
The page - Mihaela Leonte
Craiova Romanian Opera Orchestra and Chorus

Directed by: Kerstin Jacobsen
Assistant Art Direction: Arabela Tanase
Production Designer: Kerstin Jacobsen, RÄƒsvan DrÄƒgÄƒnescu
Conductor: Alexander Iosub
Concert master: Dan Bozgan
Choir: Bogdan Botezatu
Musical Preparation: Corina Stanescu, Maria Cristina Stan
Prompter: Viorica TomuÅŸ
Technical direction: Mihaela Grama
Sound: Sorin Tican
Master of lights: Roberto Bujor
Makeup / Hairdresser: Ioana Boicea

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