Resonance Works was thrilled to close its ninth season with a long-awaited production of Giuseppe Verdi’s heartbreaking opera masterpiece Rigoletto. Vibrating with emotion, Rigoletto is a timeless tale about fate and revenge. Rigoletto tries to protect his pure-hearted daughter Gilda, but when she falls for an infamous Duke in disguise, she encounters a treacherous world of privilege and power. This beloved tragedy was reimagined by acclaimed stage director Mo Zhou, who updated the story to the glamor and sleaze of 1930s Hollywood, bringing Gilda’s experience into sharp focus.

Baritone Andrew Cummings took on the role of Rigoletto, lending his “hefty voice and formidable presence” (Houston Chronicle) to the character. Venezuelan soprano Maria Brea, recently a finalist in the Paris Opera Competition, made her role and Resonance Works debut as Gilda.

This mainstage production was accompanied by a streaming world premiere of L’assassino, a hip-hopera creation by composer and performing artist K.F. Jacques. A prequel to the Rigoletto story, L’assassino tells of the dark beginnings of the assassin Sparafucile through Jacques’ unique fusion of hip-hop and opera. Jacques’ “Corsair” premiered in last season’s Tales from a Safe Distance and was named Best New Local Opera Production of 2020 in The Chicago Reader.