SEPTEMBER 16, 2025, VANCOUVER, B.C. / Traditional territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations – The Vancouver Opera 2025-2026 season opens October 25, 2025 with Verdi’s Rigoletto.Set against a backdrop of decadence and dark intrigue, Verdi’s immortal work tells the tale of a father’s desperate love for his daughter—and the dangerous double-edged sword of vengeance.
The court jester Rigoletto had long enjoyed the privilege of mocking the Duke of Mantua’s adversaries, but when his beloved daughter becomes the target of the morally corrupt Duke’s abuse, Rigoletto sets in motion a revenge plot that careens with the propulsive energy of an edge-of-the-seat thriller, while bringing themes of opulence and oppression into sharp focus.
Built in partnership with Pacific Opera Victoria, this new production will push the tense tragedy’s boundaries while staying true to Verdi’s timeless story of love and revenge. Under director Glynis Leyshon (Flight of the Hummingbird) and the baton of VO Music Director Jacques Lacombe(Die Fledermaus, Madama Butterfly), unforgettable pieces like “La donna è mobile” and the heart-wrenching “Caro nome” will soar to life on the stage of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
“Working with Pacific Opera Victoria allows us to open our 2025–2026 season with a new production of a masterpiece by one of opera’s greatest composers” says Tom Wright, Vancouver Opera General Director. “Rigoletto is filled with deep, multi-layered emotions, and the powerful voices of our principal performers will make sure that every feeling is felt fully. As the dramatic centerpiece of the story, the father-daughter bond will be sung by the sought-after American baritone Micheal Chioldi in the title role, and the award-winning, rising international star soprano, Sarah Dufresne, as Gilda. We are thrilled to have both artists making their Vancouver Opera debuts in this production.”
Joining Chioldi and the Montréal-based Dufresne is Yongzhao Yu (making his VO debut as the dissolute Duke of Mantua), Nathan Berg (Cosi fan tutte) as Sparafucile, Emma Parkinson (The Magic Flute) as Maddalena, and Neil Craighead (Flight) as Conte Monterone. They are joined by members of the Vancouver Opera Chorus and the Vancouver Opera Orchestra.
Tickets are on sale now for Rigoletto and all of the coming season’s productions. Subscriptions for the 2025-2026 season are still available. For more information and to subscribe, please visit vancouveropera.ca.
This production of Rigoletto is a Co‐production of Pacific Opera Victoria and Vancouver Opera.
2025-2026 VANCOUVER OPERA SEASON
RIGOLETTO
By Giuseppe Verdi
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Sung in Italian with English SURTITLES™ projected above the stage
Saturday, October 25, 7:30PM | Thursday, October 30, 7:30PM | Sunday, November 2, 2:00PM
COSÌ FAN TUTTE
By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Sung in Italian with English SURTITLES™ projected above the stage
Saturday, February 7, 7:30PM | Thursday, February 12, 7:30PM | Sunday, February 15, 2:00PM
LA BOHÈME
By Giacomo Puccini
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Sung in Italian with English SURTITLES™ projected above the stage
Saturday, April 25, 7:30PM | Sunday, April 26, 2:00PM | Thursday, April 30, 7:30PM | Saturday, May 2, 7:30PM | Sunday, May 3, 2:00PM
ABOUT VANCOUVER OPERA
Vancouver Opera creates extraordinary experiences that engage, inspire and entertain through voice, music, and theatre. Vancouver Opera is the second-largest professional opera company in Canada and is regarded worldwide for its fine mainstage productions, country-leading education programs, and innovative community programs.
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