Royal Opera House Production of Verdi's RIGOLETTO Comes to River Street Theatre

New Hampshire (February 12, 2018) London's Royal Opera House production of Verdi's opera masterpiece, Rigoletto will be shown in HD at the River Street Theatre (RST) in Jaffrey Sunday, February 18 and Wednesday, February 21, both at 2pm This presentation is part of the RST's Stage2Screen Series.

Giuseppe Verdi wrote in 1855 that Rigoletto, based on Victor Hugo's play Le Roi s'amuse, was his 'best opera'. He had had to overcome state censorship to stage it - the censors objected to its depiction of an immoral ruler - but he was vindicated by the premiere's huge success in 1851. Rigoletto was performed 250 times in the next 10 years and has remained one of the most popular of all operas.

David McVicar's Royal Opera House production highlights the cruelty at the heart of the court of Mantua. Richly dressed courtiers engage in orgies and revelries to Verdi's heady, spirited dances. The opera's many musical highlights include the ebullient 'La donna è mobile', in which the Duke boasts of his disregard for women; Gilda's exquisite, plangent duets with Rigoletto and the Duke; and the gorgeous Act III quartet that beautifully weaves the voices together as the story quickens to its shattering conclusion.

McVicar's critically acclaimed staging of Verdi's potent and tragic opera is conducted by Alexander Joel, with an excellent cast led by Dimitri Platanias, Lucy Crowe and Michael Fabiano. Note that this production contains brief nudity and scenes of a sexual nature. It was originally filmed in high definition in London on the Royal Opera House stage on January 16, 2018.

Tickets for Stage2Screen presentations are $20.00 (students/teachers with valid ID $15). Advance ticket purchases are encouraged due to the intimate nature of the RST theatre. The box office telephone number is (603) 532-8888 or go to riverst.org/calendar. Tickets can also be purchased at 7 days a week at OvationTix by calling 1-866-811-4111.

The River Street Theatre is conveniently located in downtown Jaffrey, New Hampshire at 6 River Street. The River Street Theatre is sponsored by Grove Street Fiduciary, Coca-Cola, the Board of Trustees of the Park Theatre, Janet S. Grant, Betty Locke, Owen Houghton and the James F. & Fernande Kelly Charitable Trust.

The Park Theatre first opened in Jaffrey in 1922 and was the center of community life as a movie and vaudeville house for 54 years until it closed in 1976. Purchased by The Park Theatre, Inc. in 2006, it will be rebuilt as a state-of-the-art film and performing arts center, featuring two auditoriums seating 485, presenting movies, live theatre (including children's productions), concerts, and lectures as well as offering a place for business and community gatherings for the Monadnock Region and its 100,000 residents, school districts and dynamic artistic community. The new theatre is scheduled to be opened in 2018.

The Park Theatre operates the River Street Theatre (RST), a small live entertainment and movie venue located adjacent to the construction site as an interim theatre until the new Park Theatre opens. Opened in January of 2017, the RST holds the title of "smallest theatre in New England."

The Park Theatre, Inc.6 River Street - Executive Office and Visitor Center & River Street Theatre19 Main Street - Site of the future performing arts centerP.O. Box 278Jaffrey, NH 03452www.theparktheatre.org

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