On Jan. 28, Rai 5 will present Verdi’s “Rigoletto” from the Royal Opera HouseMuscat.

The broadcast will showcase Franco Zeffirelli’s final production, which premiered on Jan. 20 and starred Ambrogio Maestri in the title role. The cast also included Dmitry Korchak, Giuliana Gianfaldoni, Yulia Mazurova, and​ Riccardo Zanellato.  Jan-Latham-Koenig conducted the Arena di Verona Orchestra.

Of the new production, OperaWire noted, “what is most astonishing about this production is how it feels like you are actually watching an opera. The concentration is on the action, the singers, and the music. There are no distractions or concepts that one has to wrap your head around. There is nothing imposed. It is simply the story that allows the performers to interpret the work with their voices and interactions. And in many ways, it creates a deeper and more meaningful experience that gives freshness to the classic work.”

Rai 5 will broadcast the production at 21:15 in Italy before making it available on Rai Cultura. The new production is a co-production with the Fondazione Arena di Verona and will be shown in Verona in 2023.