To make it even more interesting, the role of Rigoletto was sung by tenor, or possibly, former tenor Placido Domingo.
Recently my voice teacher friend and I were discussing how some sopranos, as they get on in years, have retooled, and come back to the opera stage as mezzos.
Apparently Domingo is doing a similar switch. He actually began his singing career as a baritone, so perhaps this is not as unusual as it might first appear.
In tonight's performance he was vocally lost in the first scene. But that scene was so badly filmed with so much going on, everyone was more or less at sea.
Later, in the duet with his daughter his voice came forth in all it's beauty. Rigoletto is a high baritone part, and it is only at the Met where he needs to be stentorian.
This may be a role he can sing on camera that might not work for him in an opera house.
Leonie Rysanek sang the title role in a filmed version of Strauss's Elektra some years ago when the role she usually sang in that opera was Chrysothemis, Elektra's sister. Apparently it took a lot of persuading for her to be convinced that she should attempt the role. She said that she would never perform it live on stage. Her filmed performance was excellent. Usually her Elektra was sung by Birgit Nilsson.
Julia Novikova as Gilda sang with a beautiful, silvery voice. Her 'Cara nome' was sung with great finesse and vocal beauty.
As the Duke of Mantua, Vittorio Grigolo sang with a bright, strong tenor voice the role that was Domingo's for so many years.
Zubin Mehta conducted the orchestra in the Teatro Scientifico Bibiena. Through various technical wonders the singers and orchestra stayed together even though they were physically far apart. This might be a way of getting a better singer to orchestra balance at the Met where, in my opinion, the orchestra is almost always too loud.
The production was filmed live by RAI.
At age 70, Domingo, either as a tenor or a baritone, still sings better than most other male singers around today.
