Nikoloz Lagvilava stars in Essen theatre relaunch of ’Rigoletto’
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Georgian baritone Nikoloz Lagvilava is starring as one of the principal characters of the opera classic Rigoletto as the production is restored at the Aalto-Musiktheater venue in Essen, Germany.
Lagvilava is appearing as court jester Rigoletto in the 1851 Verdi classic staged in a redaction by opera director Frank Hilbrich.
The Rigoletto staging, previously hosted at the venue, was relaunched on Saturday in a bill that involves three more shows over the next month.
Watch Nikoloz Lagvilava and Lubica Vargicova perform in ‘Rigoletto’ at the Slovak National Theatre earlier this year:
Lagvilava will be involved in all three evenings scheduled for October 29, November 4 and 19.
He will be partnered with tenor Carlos Cardoso in the role of the Duke of Mantua, while Olesya Golovneva and Cristina Pasaroiu will alternate for the role of Gilda.
The Hilbrich redaction involves stage design by Volker Thiele and costumes by Gabriele Rupprecht.
A preview for the show from the Essen theatre noted the relevance of the work’s theme in contemporary times, saying "Verdi has the pulse of time” in the problems raised that still "have enormous topicality”.
Born in Tbilisi, Lagvilava graduated from the Vano Sarajishvili State Conservatoire in Georgia's capital before joining the academy of the famed Teatro alla Scala in Milan.
The singer has performed as first soloist of the State Opera House of Georgia in famous classical productions including Un Ballo in Maschera, Nabucco and La traviata.
Lagvilava has also appeared in productions at venues including Norway's National Opera and Ballet Theatre and the Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow.
Renowned opera singer Nino Machaidze is leading the cast of Georges Bizet’s exotic opera The Pearl Fishers in an LA Opera program running at the venue since last week.
Georgia’s opera star George Gagnidze is under the spotlight of an ongoing double bill show at Germany’s Staatsoper Hamburg venue, appearing in classics Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci.
Acclaimed opera singer Anita Rachvelishvili will lead a cast of internationally renowned Georgian performers in an opera debut by the country’s award-winning director Levan Tsuladze in Tbilisi later today.
Georgian singer Nikoloz Lagvilava was part of a successful new premiere of a famous Italian opera at Norway's National Opera and Ballet Theatre last weekend.
Tbilisi's principal opera company has launched a brand-new program for professional exchange with some of the leading troupes around the world with a concert featuring Georgian and German stage artists on Thursday.
Georgian opera singer Nikoloz Lagvilava has received critical acclaim for his performance in a premiere of Othello at the Aalto Music Theatre in Essen over the weekend.
Polish National Opera is gearing up to raise the curtains on its four-show bill of Rigoletto starting this evening, with Georgian baritone Nikoloz Lagvilava in the roster of performers taking to the stage of the opening performance.