No Big Names, But Plenty of Charm

pons.jpgBY FRED KIRSHNIT [NY Sun, 27 October 2006]
Last season’s “Rigoletto” at the Met was an occasion for star turns. Anna Netrebko was stunningly good, not only as a singer but an actress as well. Rolando Villazon was in superb voice as a callously clueless Duke of Mantua. Even the indisposition of Carlo Guelfi on the night I attended couldn’t dampen a very special evening. Only the oom-pah-pah conducting of Placido Domingo was disappointing.