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Het Parool, 5 november 2004
Monique Wagemakers (producer) and her team have provided a well thought through and aesthetically flawless production that has none of its attractiveness in the eight years since its premiere. The choral contributions are striking as the chorus moves according to a precise choreography; this, however, is done in an extremely supple manner that forms part of the performance and thereby creates a role for the chorus that is more important than we are accustomed to in this opera. The manner in which violence, elegance and lightness are reflected in the music makes this production particularly successful in that aspect also.
Haagsche Courant, 8 november 2004
[…] Pure enjoyment listening to the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra that has seldom sounded more Italian than it does under conductor Daniele Callegari. They constitute the driving force behind a stream of brilliant music that does not lessen but bears all along with it.
Anthony Michaels-Moore is moving as […] Rigoletto. It is beautiful how he transforms himself slowly from a court jester into a recognisable and provoked human being. The Duke is sung by Joseph Calleja, the 26 year old Maltese tenor who astonishes with the ease with which he sings, with even the most difficult passages flowing splendidly; the crown of his performance is the final high note of La donna è mobile, cast almost heedlessly into the auditorium. The drama of this production can still make the spectator extremely happy.
Noordhollands Dagblad, 10 november 2004
Mario Luperi is the only survivor from the original cast and rightly so. With his magnificent voice he is once again an impressively terrifying Sparafucile. Anthony Michaels-Moore sings the title role with a warm and supple baritone voice.
De Telegraaf, 11 november 2004
The court jester hastens rapidly to his doom in Monique Wagemakers' production, in magnificent sets by Michael Levine that are splendidly lit by Reinier Tweebeeke. It is astonishing how many aspects this single décor (a square acting area that can tilt and rise and fall) surrounded with lights can provide. Wagemakers is primarily successful with the mass of courtiers. Like pawns in a chess game they appear in constantly changing formations, wiping away a crocodile tear and splendidly costumed by Sandy Powell. The extremely promising tenor Joseph Calleja makes his Amsterdam debut as the Duke. He has a wonderfully old-fashioned-sounding voice - a real tenore di grazia.
Trouw, 6 november 2004
Conductor Daniele Callegari makes his DNO debut and with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra provides a razor-sharp performance, with finely-judged rubato and much attention to balanced colours. The singers are well worthy of their roles. The baritone Anthony Michaels-Moore performs the title role most impressively, whilst Joseph Calleja (the Duke) has a tenor that shines like a trumpet. Soprano Cinzia Forte (Gilda) sounded somewhat insecure at the premiere, primarily in the difficult passage work, but her breathtaking contributions to the ensembles made up for the above splendidly. The various smaller roles were equally well cast.
De Volkskrant, 6 november 2004
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