The San Diego Opera is set to present Verdi’s “Rigoletto” from Oct. 23 to 25, 2026 at the San Diego Civic Theatre.

The production will be performed on Robert Dahlstrom’s, last showcased in San Diego Opera’s 2019 production. Acclaimed baritone Michael Chioldi will take on the title role after performing the role to great acclaim at the Irish National Opera, Santa Fe Opera, and The Metropolitan Opera.

He will be joined by Madison Leonard as Gilda, Jose Simerilla Romero as the Duke of Mantua, Peixin Chen as Sparafucile, Craig Colclough as Monterone and Guadalupe Paz as Maddalena. Yves Abel will conduct the San Diego Symphony Orchestra and Christopher Mattaliano will direct the production.

In a statement Mattaliano said, “’Rigoletto’ is one of my great loves. ‘Rigoletto’ remains endlessly fascinating because Verdi’s genius comes together so completely here. There is a white-hot intensity to the drama, an extraordinary emotional directness, and one ravishing melody after another. The opera’s exploration of the relationship between Rigoletto and his daughter, Gilda, is especially striking. Beneath the larger-than-life, Shakespearean drama is an intimate and deeply human story about a father whose overwhelming love and need to protect his child ultimately leads to tragedy. Verdi portrays that parent-child bond with extraordinary tenderness, creating some of the most beautiful and personal music he ever wrote.”