By Freddie Herman, Lower Sixth

After the angst over whether the trip would be cancelled or not due to snow, we were finally assured it was going ahead and what an excellent thing too. Rigoletto is a wonderfully written opera by Giuseppe Verdi, about the tragic story of a jester, Rigoletto, and features the famous aria ‘La Donna e Mobile,’ (perhaps better remembered for its use at football matches). Even sitting right near the gods, we could still hear the powerful voice of Paolo Gavanelli, (baritone), playing ‘Rigoletto’ pounding through the auditorium along with the strong and flexible voice of Ekaterina Siurina, (soprano), playing his daughter ‘Gilda.’ The final act had all on the edge of their seats whilst the opera climaxes with disastrous consequences for Rigoletto… without giving the ending away. A truly magnificent trip enjoyed by everyone who took part, and I’d like to finish by thanking Mr Clarke for organising the day and Mr Singleton for accompanying us.