Rigoletto at Teatr Wielki - Opera Narodowa, Moniuszko Auditorium

The Romantics loved monsters. And we also love monsters. We are just too ashamed to admit it. It’s all because monstrosity intrigues us. How is it to be a serial killer, Siamese sisters or a hunchback? Exploiting monstrosity Victor Hugo looked beyond where sight can enter. In his play The King Amuses Himself he penetrated the secrets of power. The king’s hunchback fool is the derisive parody of the young, beautiful hedonistic ruler. Verdi easily spanned his opera on this opposition. And he put his bet on the hunchback. His very presence, his meanness, his sick love to his daughter, cast an ambiguous light on the Duke of Mantua’s love affairs, the hubris of his courtiers and the easy way of spurring the thugs hidding in the corners into action. Because of Rigoletto the comedy of feelings will get out of hand. The game will turn into intrigue and the intrigue into a bloodbath. Because one has to be careful with monsters as they awake monstrosities in humans. Even when they sing.