RIGOLETTO Will Come to Teatro Massimo in Palermo

Teatro Massimo in Palermo will present Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto from Oct. 23-31 as part of its 2026-27 season. The production will be staged at Teatro Massimo’s Main Stage in Palermo, Sicily, with performances scheduled across eight dates.

The opening performance will take place Friday, Oct. 23, at 8 p.m. Additional performances are scheduled for Oct. 24 at 8 p.m., Oct. 25 at 5:30 p.m., Oct. 27 at 6:30 p.m., Oct. 28 at 6:30 p.m., Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m., Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m. and Oct. 31 at 6:30 p.m. The Oct. 29 and 31 performances are outside the theater's regular subscription series.

Rigoletto features music by Verdi and a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on Victor Hugo’s play Le roi s’amuse. The opera follows Rigoletto, a court jester whose daughter Gilda falls in love with the Duke of Mantua. After the Duke seduces Gilda, Rigoletto seeks revenge, setting the tragedy in motion.

The production is directed by John Turturro and restaged by Lisa Capaccioli, with Cecilia Ligorio serving as directing project coordinator. Francesco Frigeri designed the sets, Marco Piemontese designed the costumes, Giuseppe Bonanno provides the choreography and Alessandro Carletti designed the lighting. Gianna Fratta will conduct the Teatro Massimo Orchestra, Chorus and Ballet. Salvatore Punturo is chorus master and Jean-Sébastien Colau is ballet director.

The cast will feature Francesco Demuro and Valerio Borgioni as the Duke of Mantua, Ludovic Tézier and Roman Burdenko as Rigoletto, and Irina Lungu and Francesca Benitez as Gilda. Demuro, Tézier and Lungu are scheduled for the Oct. 23, 25, 28 and 30 performances, while Borgioni, Burdenko and Benitez will appear Oct. 24, 27, 29 and 31.

George Anguladze will perform Sparafucile, with Martina Belli as Maddalena, Cassandre Berthon as Giovanna, Gaetano Triscari as the Count of Monterone, Giuseppe Esposito as Marullo, Alfonso Zambuto as Borsa, Mariano Orozco as the Count of Ceprano and Francesca Maionchi as the Countess of Ceprano and the page.

The production is a Teatro Massimo presentation co-produced with Teatro Regio Torino, Shaanxi Opera House and Opéra Royal de Wallonie. The production originally directed by Turturro returns in this staging under Capaccioli's direction.

Tickets went on sale Dec. 3, 2025. TicketOne currently lists full-price tickets for the Oct. 23 performance at €38.50 for the listening-only section, with other available categories listed at €60.50, €82.50 and €88. Prices include the applicable presale fee, while additional service and delivery charges may apply. Availability and pricing can vary by performance and seating category.