March 7- 17, Vancouver—Featuring murder, betrayal, mockery and really bad mojo, Verdi’s captivating operatic tragedy, Rigoletto, is on until March 17th at the Vancouver Opera.

Based on Victor Hugo’s Le Roi S’amuse, Rigoletto tells what happens when a hunchbacked jester’s taunting goes too far. As the curse plays out through a series of revenge plots and seductions, the ultimate victim turns out to be the fool’s most beloved. The opera could be viewed as a timely cautionary tale for this age of venomous sarcasm. Or it may simply raise the question: What is it about hunchbacks that so captivated Victor Hugo? Regardless, the music and emotion combine to make Rigoletto a classic example of operatic power.

The Vancouver production, directed by Glynis Leyshon, features Donnie Ray Albert as Rigoletto the Jester, and Eglise Gutiereez as Gilda. The Opera is performed in Italian with English translations projected above.