The first masterpiece of Verdi’s mid-to-late career, Rigoletto is among the top 10 most-performed operas. A tragedy of betrayal, abduction and vengeance, the opera was a dangerous venture for Verdi – who had to tame-down the story to get it performed. One of the most famous highlights: La donna è mobile – the womanizing Duke of Mantua’s wolfish canzone. Verdi tried to keep the show-stopping tune a secret, but it proved so catchy every gondolier in Venice was singing it within days of the opera’s premiere. Don’t miss the chilling irony of it s reprise at the opera’s tragic end.