The Vancouver Opera 2025-2026 season opens October 25, 2025 with Verdi’s Rigoletto. Set against a backdrop of decadence and dark intrigue, Verdi’s immortal work tells the tale of a father’s desperate love for his daughter—and the dangerous double-edged sword of vengeance.
The court jester Rigoletto had long enjoyed the privilege of mocking the Duke of Mantua’s adversaries. But everything changes when his beloved daughter becomes the target of the morally corrupt Duke’s abuse. Rigoletto sets in motion a revenge plot, careening with the propulsive energy of an edge-of-the-seat thriller, while bringing themes of opulence and oppression into sharp focus.
Verdi’s Rigoletto in Vancouver
Built in partnership with Pacific Opera Victoria, this new production will push the tense tragedy’s boundaries. At the same time, it will stay true to Verdi’s timeless story of love and revenge. The performance is helmed by director Glynis Leyshon (Flight of the Hummingbird) and the baton of VO Music Director Jacques Lacombe (Die Fledermaus, Madama Butterfly). Together, unforgettable pieces like “La donna è mobile” and the heart-wrenching “Caro nome” will soar to life on the stage of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
Rigoletto is filled with deep, multi-layered emotions. Moreover, the powerful voices of our principal performers will make sure that every feeling is felt fully. As the dramatic centerpiece of the story, the father-daughter bond will be sung by the sought-after American baritone Micheal Chioldi in the title role. And the award-winning, rising international star soprano, Sarah Dufresne, will play Gilda.
Joining Chioldi and the Montréal-based Dufresne is Yongzhao Yu (making his VO debut as the dissolute Duke of Mantua), Nathan Berg (Cosi fan tutte) as Sparafucile. Emma Parkinson (The Magic Flute) as Maddalena and Neil Craighead (Flight) as Conte Monterone will also be onstage. They are joined by members of the Vancouver Opera Chorus and the Vancouver Opera Orchestra.
Tickets are on sale now for Rigoletto and all of the coming season’s productions! Additionally, subscriptions for the 2025-2026 season are still available. For more information and to subscribe, please visit vancouveropera.ca.
EVENT DETAILS:
📅 Date: October 25 – November 2, 2025
📍 Location: Queen Elizabeth Theatre
🎟️ Tickets & More Info: Verdi’s Rigoletto
