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Following his critically acclaimed and sold-out run at Covent Garden's Royal Opera House as Verdi's eponymous Simon Boccanegra, Plácido Domingo tackles his next major baritone role in a live film of Verdi's Rigoletto, titled Rigoletto In Mantua, on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Two.

First performed in 1851 at La Fenice in Venice, Oscar winning-director Andrea Andermann now takes the action to the heart of its fictional setting, Mantua.

In a ground-breaking and innovative television event Ö÷²¥´óÐã presenter Katie Derham introduces the opera as it is performed live from locations across the city with Domingo in the role of the hunchback court jester, Rigoletto in Verdi’s tragic masterpiece.

Swapping the Duke's classic La Donna é mobile for the passion and vigour of Rigoletto's Cortigiani, Domingo himself admits: "When Andrea Andermann invited me to interpret the part of Rigoletto, I replied that there were so many good baritones in the world who could sing it.

"But Andrea said that he wasn't looking for a baritone, but rather for the Rigoletto whom I, Plácido Domingo, could bring to life.

"It certainly is one of the most moving roles that exist, and I’m not sure that I won’t be overcome by the tears that will well up in my throat when I sing it.

"This is the first opera that I heard; the character of Borsa is the first role that I sang; and then I climbed a step higher and became the Duke – and I have even conducted the opera many times.

"Being able to take the part of Rigoletto in this 'live film,' precisely 'in the settings' that Verdi chose and worked so stubbornly to bring off, resisting the censors, will be a privilege that I want to share with those viewers all over the world who will be watching this two-day event."

Jan Younghusband, Commissioning Editor, Music & Events, Ö÷²¥´óÐã Television, says: "As part of a wonderful summer of live classical music on the Ö÷²¥´óÐã we are delighted to be able to bring Ö÷²¥´óÐã Two viewers this very special production in what promises to be a sumptuous musical feast."

Rigoletto In Mantua is a live film directed by Palm d'Or-nominated Vincere Marco Bellocchio, conceived and produced by Andrea Andermann, conducted by Zubin Mehta and filmed by cinematographer Vittorio Storaro.
Rigoletto In Mantua will be broadcast live over the nights of Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 September 2010 on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Two.

Following the transmission of the first act on Saturday 4 September Ö÷²¥´óÐã Two joins Suzy Klein at the Royal Albert Hall for that evening's Ö÷²¥´óÐã Prom with Sir Simon Rattle conducting the Berlin Philharmonic performing works from Wagner, Strauss, Schoenberg, Webern and Berg.

DP