Verdi's Rigoletto
Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts 1419 Basin Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70116
Rigoletto, a hunchbacked jester, has always been eager to assist his master, the Duke of Mantua, whom now law holds, as he helps himself to the city's women. But when Rigoletto mocks a man whose daughter has been dishonored by the duke, he himself is the recipient of a "father's curse." The hex has weight, as Rigoletto has long kept a daughter in hiding. Soon, she is abducted for the duke's pleasure, and Rigoletto swears his revenge. The New Orleans Opera stages Verdi's agonizing tale at the Mahalia Jackson Theater. Expect to whistle the famously catchy "La donna è mobile" on your way out the door. 7:30 pm Friday; 2:30 pm Sunday. $30–$230. neworleansopera.org.