Lisette Oropesa - Rigoletto - BLU-RAY

He was the greatest operatic tenor of the last half-century, and, in ability, presence, persona, and generosity, he was genuinely larger than life. Director Ron Howard delivers a remarkable documentary look at the times and talent of Luciano Pavarotti, using interviews with family and intimates and rare performance footage to examine the gregarious yet flawed man behind the legend, as well as his considerable impact in building appreciation of his art form for a global generation.

Rigoletto is the sharp-tongued jester to the serial womanizer, the Duke of Matua. But when the Duke turns his seductive ways towards Rigoletto's daughter, Gilda, the jester learns that he is powerless to protect her. What follows is an epic tale of deceit, revenge and, above all, love. Director Oliver Mears makes his Royal Opera debut with his 'thrilling new production' (The Times), which frames Verdi's masterpiece as a modern morality play, pitting power against innocence in a decadent world of corruption and social decay. Antonio Pappano conducts an outstanding cast that includes an 'utterly compelling' Carlos Álvarez in the title role, Lisette Oropesa as 'a matchless Gilda' (The Guardian) and tenor Liparit Avetisyan as the Duke of Mantua.

Rigoletto is regarded as the first operatic masterpiece of Verdi's mature artistic period. It's complex psychology identifies characters with different styles of music, and with an incredible variety of accents for a central figure conceived by the composer as 'deformed and laughable, but actually passionate and full of love'. From the famous aria La donna è mobile, to the final horrific tragedy as the curse unfolds, the triumphant success of Rigoletto since it's premiere in 1851 has endured to the present day. The work is set for modern stage here by Italian director Davide Livermore.