Do try & catch it! Femi Elufowoju jr’s intelligent yet imaginatively accessible production of Verdi’s Rigoletto returns to Opera North

Verdi: Rigoletto – Themba Mvula, Ross McInroy, Thomas Elwin & ensemble – Opera North, 2026 [Photo: Richard H Smith]

Verdi: Rigoletto; Leonardo Sánchez, Blake Denson, Raven McMillon, dir: Femi Elufowoju jr, cond: Patrick Lange; Opera North at Leeds Grand Theatre
Reviewed 23 October 2026

Femi Elufowoju jr’s compelling vision of Rigoletto returns as vivid as ever with a strong trio of principals with a balance of fine musicality and drama.

One of the keys to a satisfying production of Verdi’s Rigoletto is that director and designer find a setting for the piece that makes Monterone’s curse resonate in the right way. Verdi’s early working title for the opera was La maledizione, and this curse is the key to the work in many ways. This is something that Jonathan Miller understood with his iconic production for English National Opera set in New York’s Little Italy. Femi Elufowoju jr’s 2022 production for Opera North was another such [see my review]. With Rigoletto, Gilda, Monterone, Marullo and Countess Ceprano played by people of colour, the curse resonates in a way that Elufowoju, a British-Nigerian, was familiar with from the society in which he was born.

It is thus heartening that Femi Elufowoju jr has returned to Opera North to revive the production at Leeds Grand Theatre (seen 23 October 2026). Patrick Lange conducted with Leonardo Sánchez as the Duke, Blake Denson as Rigoletto and Raven McMillon as Gilda (all three new to the production). Designs were by Rae Smith, lighting by Howard Hudson.

Verdi: Rigoletto – Blake Denson – Opera North, 2026 [Photo: Richard H Smith]

Rae Smith’s setting, with its inspirations taken from artists such as Kehinde Wiley and Yinka Shonibare, remains as visually striking and satisfying as ever. Though, seeing the production for the second time rather highlighted the unsatisfactory elements in the visually striking setting for Act Three, raising question as to why the Duke would be lurking at some sort of haven for down-and-outs. But there is a beautifully thought-through sense to Elufowoju’s production with such details at Sparafucile (Callum Thorpe) and Maddalena (Alonya Abramova) appearing at the Act One party. For once, in a production of this opera, your eye (and brain) does not get diverted by details that do not gel.

All three of the lead characters are damaged in some way, but the three leads each in their own way helped to make us understand and sympathise. American baritone Blake Denson, who trained at the Houston Grand Opera Studio, make a powerful Rigoletto. Physically imposing with a rich, dark voice to match, he had all the power and vocal edge for moments such as ‘Cortigiani’, yet also brought out the character’s introspection and obsession. Here Denson really leaned into the cultural setting for the opera, making the most of the way this Rigoletto’s problems stem from the way he deals with being Black man in a predominantly white world. It helped that there was something rather thrilling about the way Denson dealt with Rigoletto’s music, his ability to make his voice move yet also to be intimate and tender.

As his daughter, American soprano Raven McMillon made a wonderfully warm and engaging Gilda. McMillon managed to make Gilda’s unworldliness as something sympathetic (rather than simple naivety) aided by the appealing warmth in her voice and her way with Verdi’s music. ‘Cara nome’ was certainly impressive, but the fullness of McMillon’s voice and her way of phrasing made character count. Her scene with Denson’s Rigoletto at the end of Act Two was both intimate and tender in a way that brought out the father/daughter bond that is important in this opera, something that Denson and McMillon highlighted in Act Three as well with a closing scene that was tender without being sickly.

Verdi: Rigoletto – Raven McMillon, Leonardo Sánchez – Opera North, 2026 [Photo: Richard H Smith]

We only see Gilda with the Duke once, in Act One, yet this scene resonates through the whole opera. It helped that here, Mexican tenor Leonardo Sánchez’s Duke was at his most charming and believable. There was something rather chameleon-like about this Duke, he was all things to all men, as well as being physically active and agile. Sánchez sang his opening aria with vivid elan, then turned into something charmingly engaging for the scene with Gilda. At the opening of Act Two his remorse over the lack of Gilda and the way he says he is in love was completely believable. Yet in Act Three, Sánchez was swaggering around again showing off. Musically, there was something very appealing about his way with Verdi’s music, a lovely openness and evenness of tone along with fine phrasing.

The smaller roles were all vividly etched. Prime amongst these must be tMonterone, where veteran bass Willard White’s appearances were as commanding and vibrant as ever. Callum Thorpe made a chilling Sparafucile, and I loved the way that he casually peeled an apple in Act Three as Sánchez’s Duke made love to his sister Maddalena (Alyona Abramova). Abramova made the most of the small part, bringing exciting physicality and strong tone to the performance.

The courtiers were all deftly defined. Thomas Elwin’s Borsa was keen to fit in with Sánchez’s Duke at any cost (and Elwin makes his debut as the Duke during the run). Themba Mvula’s Marullo, another Black man at the Duke’s court, was similarly keen to integrate, whilst Ross McInroy’s Count Ceprano seemed alarmingly complaisant at the way the Duke pawed his wife.

Verdi: Rigoletto – Alonya Abramova, Callum Thorpe – Opera North, 2026 [Photo: Richard H Smith]

Helen Evora was the dubious Giovanna, letting Sánchez’s Duke ride roughshod over Rigoletto’s care for his daughter. Completing the cast was James Davies as the Court Usher and Laura Kelly as the Page. Of the cast, Barker-Knowles, McInroy, Evora, Davies and Kelly are all members of Opera North’s admirable chorus.

The chorus was in terrific voice, and the way the individual characters were drawn helped to create a sense of this group as a community. In Act Two, the men’s reaction gradually changed as they realised what their jape had turned into, in a finely judged manner. Vocally the group was in strong form, and the comic moments of music never jarred.

This was Patrick Lange’s first engagement with Opera North since the announcement that he was taking over as music director in 2028. He took a vividly urgent view of the opera. This was a performance where many of the ensembles had terrific impetus and Lange drew strong discipline from his players so that there were plenty of moments of excitement and drama. Both Act Two and Act Three benefitted from this immensely. Yet this did not imply that he forced his singers along, and in the work’s bel canto moments, Lange allowed space for voices to linger and shape. The result was a dramatic reading of the opera that matched Elufowoju’s production.

Verdi: Rigoletto – Callum Thorpe, Alonya Abramova, Leonardo Sánchez, Raven McMillon, Blake Denson  – Opera North, 2026 [Photo: Richard H Smith]

This compelling, intelligent yet imaginatively accessible production makes and admirable introduction to the opera for first-timers yet provides those familiar with the opera with plenty of food for thought and some fine singing indeed. Do try and catch it! There are thirteen performances of the production in all, starting in Leeds and touring to Newcastle, Salford Quays and Nottingham.