Federico Longhi is set to open his 2019-20 season in a new production of Verdi’s “Rigoletto” at Mainfranken Theater Würzburg.

The new production will be directed by Markus Trabusch with stage and costume designs by Susanne Hiller.

The production will be conducted by Enrico Calesso, the general music director of Würzburg Theatre. The production will also star Roberto Ortiz as Il Duca di Mantova, Akiho Tsujii as Gilda, Igor Tsarkov as Sparafucile, and Katharina von Bülow as Maddalena.

In a press statement, Longhi noted, “Rigoletto is a role that all baritones dream of when they start their career. I debuted this role at Teatro Filarmonico di Verona and I have performed it in many different productions, including ones in Linz and Nice which I love. I studied this character so much, trying to make a personal vision of the role.

“Rigoletto goes beyond the technique and vocality, he has a deep and articulate theatrical and psychical soul. I’m really happy to play this role in Würzburg where I sang with satisfaction Guy de Montfort in ‘Le Vêpres siciliennes,’ and I’m looking forward to work again with Maestro Calesso, who was the conductor on that occasion.”

“Rigoletto” opens on Oct. 12 and runs through Dec. 25, 2019.