The Guild Opera Company to Stage RIGOLETTO

On March 18th and 20th, Guild Opera Company tells the tragic story of sacrifice, jealousy and vengeance. Giuseppe Verdi's ground-breaking three act opera Rigoletto is a wonderment of famous arias, duets and ensembles. It features "La donna è mobile" "Caro nome" and Rigoletto's heartbreaking "Cortigiani."

It is one of Verdi's most popular operas, based on Victor Hugo's Le roi s'amuse (The King Amuses Himself). Rigoletto is a court jester who the Duke of Mantua uses to insult and abuse his courtesans. Rigoletto's insults start a vendetta and a curse. In fact, Verdi thought of naming his opera "La maledizione", or The Curse.

This curse comes true for Rigoletto whose young daughter is seduced by the Duke. Rigoletto decides to take revenge on the Duke and hires the assassin Sparafucile to do away with the Duke. Things go awry and it is Rigoletto's daughter, Gilda, who suffers the mortal blow. Our cast features Carlos Oliva as Rigoletto, Felipe Prado as the Duke, Caroline Nelms as Gilda, Dennis Rupp as Sparafucile, Terry Hughes-Oliva as Maddalena and Gabriel Manro as Monterone.

Since 1949, Guild Opera Company has been introducing children to the magical world of opera. With the generous support of individual music lovers, as well as funding from corporations, foundations and government sources, over four million students have experienced live professional performance of this important art form that encompasses music, theater, dance and visual arts. Guild Opera Co. is the second oldest opera company in California, after the San Francisco Opera.

The performance will be directed by Gabriel R. Pazos who is the recipient of the 2007 El Angel Award from the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts. He has sung leading operatic roles, as well as roles in zarzuela, oratorio and musicals with various companies, including Anchorage Opera, Spanish Lyric Theater in Tampa, Florida, West Bay Opera, Spokane Opera, Santa Barbara Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, LA Music Center, The European Symphony, Long Beach Symphony, and The Angeles Chorale, among others. Gabriel, has been instrumental in many aspects of Guild Opera Company's operations and has directly worked with many of the cast memebers privately as a part of Guild Opera's Young Artist development.

The show will only have two performances. Tickets should be purchased early! LA County Covid protocols will be followed. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/o/guild-opera-company-inc-26371816479.

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