Rating: 
Summary: Bravo!
Review: Be prepared for a startingly novel view on this old warhorse. McVicar's production for London's Royal Opera brings out unabashedly all of the libretto's sexual tensions, usually only hinted at in traditional productions, stunningly laid out and planted before the viewer's very eyes throughout the whole work which characterises the production's conception. In purely vocal terms the very accomplished cast is led by the immaculate Gilda of Christine Schäfer (yes, the same one you encountered "singing" Pierrot Lunaire exemplarily for Pierre Boulez on a DG cd, of all people), prudently set apart by McVicar as apparently the only sane person in the whole lot of characters in spite of her falling for "Gualtier Maldé". The Argentinian Marcelo Álvarez is an outstanding Duke, cynical, libidinous and unhinbited as perhaps any other recent exponent of the rôle, his physical presence no doubt visually supporting this. Gavanelli is a Rigoletto vocally in the grand Italian tradition, right in timbre in spite of some occasional rapid vibrato but exemplary in his diction, a rather deranged character in McVicar's view who walks about the stage in crotches; one quickly sees why he's rightly sought after by the world's leading opera houses for this rôle. The other important parts, those of Sparafucile and Gilda, are also very well cast, especially the latter who must be one of the horniest Gildas on record. Visually, the production subscribes to current visions on the ways of people of wealth of four or five centuries ago: exquisite fabrics enrobing people who appear not to have visited a bathtub for many months (gone seem to be the days in which period plays, operas and movies showed immaculate participants). Sir Edward Downes' conducting with swift, vigorous tempi provokes inspired playing from the ROH's Orchestra and the sound really justifies your connecting your player to a quality sound system if you still haven't done so: it has to be heard to be believed. Décors & staging take full advantage of the ROH's recent refurbishing, Rigoletto's and Spafucile's respective dwellings depicting a timeless and appropriate shantiness of tin roofing and carton walling that recall today's third-world capitals' misery belts. Camerawork is very good, and curiously the BBC take great pains in making you believe this was taped live by inserting applause at the "right" places (like after arias and ensembles or at Sir Edward's entrances to the pit at the beginning of acts); only when this applause tends to sound the same one time after the other you begin to suspect and your suspicions confirm at the end --or at least so seemed in my case-- when applause de-synchonises with what's actually happening on stage when curtain calls are taking place once the work has finished, but this is only a minor quibble. And for a change, and this is a big plus, this opera dvd does bring extra material, with a plot lecture and an enlightening interview with the producer. If you are one of those who don't make totems out of the big figures of old but are rather looking for a current, up-to-date version of Rigoletto, look no further. Mind, though, that the production is far from the "good-to-introduce-the-kids-to-opera" world.
Rating:
Summary: Have a Valium
Review: Come on, chaps. Relax. Do not get hung up on a little bit of nudity. In the context, it is most appropriate.The Duke is not a nice man. His courtiers are not nice people. What goes on is not nice. This is a very powerful visual representation of what is going on; and the orchestra bopping away in the background in the first scene heightens the on-stage tension. Not to put too fine a point on it, this is a truly great interpretation and production. It is all of a piece. The singers can act (or should it be the actors can sing) and it fits together musically, dramatically and visually. I would consider it a "must" buy.
Rating:
Summary: Have a Valium
Review: Come on, chaps. Relax. Do not get hung up on a little bit of nudity. In the context, it is most appropriate. The Duke is not a nice man. His courtiers are not nice people. What goes on is not nice. This is a very powerful visual representation of what is going on; and the orchestra bopping away in the background in the first scene heightens the on-stage tension. Not to put too fine a point on it, this is a truly great interpretation and production. It is all of a piece. The singers can act (or should it be the actors can sing) and it fits together musically, dramatically and visually. I would consider it a "must" buy.
Rating:
Summary: Grand opera! Grand production! Grand singing!
Review: First - the subject of sexual content...I thought it was a startling attention grabber at the beginning and was very effective at portraying a corrupt society. It reminded me of another wonderful opera production that is also well represented on DVD: the English National Opera's wonderful presentation of one of Handel's many operatic masterpieces ARIODANTE.
Seeing this RIGOLETTO for the first time - I wondered why many outspoken opera-lovers object so much to nudity that would be barely noticed in a movie.
In any case - for post-modernists - this is an outstanding RIGOLETTO. It appears from other reviews that everyone appreciates the cast and well they should! It really does bring an opera to life more vividly when the performers look like they could be the characters they portray - and in addition to that, these people act and sing SO well!
If you read these reviews and generally feel repulsed at the idea of nudity in RIGOLETTO, then steer clear of this dvd. If you prefer videos of staged operas as opposed to movie versions (like the Pavarotti RIGOLETTO), this is for you.
Rating: 
Summary: Production is OK, the cast...hmmm, lets see...
Review: First of all, the production is not bad at all. Has intention. The problem here, for me, is the cast. I don't feel confortable at all with this cast, specially with gavanelli or schafer. Alvarez is so overacting as the duke, and i think he can do better. gavanelli has a voice that annoys me most of the time. I'd love to hear hvorostovsky instead. Even Downes is OK here, he's like tired, slow...hmmm. My point is, they missed some important elements, that are necessary to show to make the story more credible.
I have to say that Trovatore or Zauberflote are better productions that this one (on DVDs recorded recently at covent garden). David McVicar missed the point here. Better results he got with Zauberflote, but not here. I like modern productions, but i think he's jumping out of the pool in this one.
Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic!!
Review: Gavanelli as Rigoletto was quite outstanding. I was disappointed by Alvarez. His singing was quite forced; it had no squillo at all. For a moment I thought I was watching a broadway play about a back alley gangster in the 50s. His voice failed to be seductive (questo o quella was very flat), and there was no charm. The quartet at Sparafucile's house was very mediocre. Monterone did not sound ominous enough. He is supposed to represent absolute morality; his voice is supposed to be that of God throwing thunderbolts down to earth. Gilda I found charming and naive enough to be credible. The nuditity failed to add anything artistic to the opera. True opera fans should not need it to appreciate the music. Thus, I'm not sure of the intention of the producers. Overall I think the Pavarotti version, with Edita Gruberova and Wixell has much better singing.
Rating:
Summary: Somewhat disappointed
Review: Gavanelli as Rigoletto was quite outstanding. I was disappointed by Alvarez. His singing was quite forced; it had no squillo at all. For a moment I thought I was watching a broadway play about a back alley gangster in the 50s. His voice failed to be seductive (questo o quella was very flat), and there was no charm. The quartet at Sparafucile's house was very mediocre. Monterone did not sound ominous enough. He is supposed to represent absolute morality; his voice is supposed to be that of God throwing thunderbolts down to earth. Gilda I found charming and naive enough to be credible. The nuditity failed to add anything artistic to the opera. True opera fans should not need it to appreciate the music. Thus, I'm not sure of the intention of the producers. Overall I think the Pavarotti version, with Edita Gruberova and Wixell has much better singing.
Rating:
Summary: Good singing/acting - forgive the Eurotrash Director
Review: I liked this because of the performance of the principals which I enjoyed very much. I am familiar with Alvarez but not the rest of the cast who were excellent. In the first act, the nudity was totally unnecessary and gratituous and hopefully it didn't sell any tickets. The performances of the principals were certainly worth the price of the DVD, however, I do like the Pavarotti version the best. I found myself liking the principals more and more as the opera progressed and do recommend this for a collection which includes the Pavarotti version.
Rating:
Summary: WONDERFUL PRODUCTION
Review: I love this production. Alvarez is wonderful as well as the rest of the cast. Gavanelli's Rigoletto is supurb even though his "goat vibrato" can be annoying. Unlike other reviewers, I really like Schafer's Gilda. However, Alvarez is the highlight!
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!!
Review: I loved everything about this production. I can see that a lot of work went into the design of the set however I didn't care for the finished product - solely a matter of opinion. Without making this a long review, I thought the entire cast was fabulous except for Christine Schafer as Gilda. In a production that was big on showing stark contrast, I found her presence to be one dimensional and uninspired. She could have raised it a notch or two to bring life to 'Gilda.' The superb acting and interpretations of the others completely washed her out. Also I don't agree with all the ruckus about the nudity in the beginning being gratuitous. I didn't expect it and when I saw it I literally gasped in shock. But I believe that was the director's intent. Yes I was shocked but I didn't find it gratuitous at all. It helped to create an atmosphere that brought a stark contrast between the palatial surroundings inside and the violent depravity going on outside. If nudity bothers you or you prefer having the ideas left to your imagination instead then you will most likely be disappointed with the opening scene. But it was a nice change from the status quo as far as interpretation is concerned. It's a keeper!
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