On May 4, 2019, George Gagnidze will celebrate his 100th performance in Verdi’s “Rigoletto” at the Metropolitan Opera.

Rigoletto has become George Gagnidze’s signature role, having performed it in his career since the very beginning. “Rigoletto has been a key to success right from the beginning of my career and I owe him so much”, says the Georgian baritone.

“In 2005 it was with singing Rigoletto’s aria ‘Cortiggiani, vil razza dannata’ that I was awarded first prize at the Voci Verdiane Competition in Busseto. This competition opened the doors of many international opera houses for me. In 2008 I sang the role at the Teatro Regio di Parma,  which is home to some of most intense Verdi aficionados. After this successful ‘trial by fire’ I knew that I could probably sing the part everywhere and indeed shortly after the Metropolitan Opera invited me to make my house debut as Rigoletto in 2009, in the old Otto Schenk production. I consider it a particular honor to have been invited to sing Rigoletto at the Met in two different productions and I am so happy to sing my 100th performance in the Michael Mayer staging.”

Gagnidze has also performed Rigoletto at the LA Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Festival of Aix-en-Provence, the Wiener Festwochen and at the Teatro alla Scala in a production that also traveled to Tokyo.