And now for your semi-annual Italian lesson: the word is 'tinta', and it means 'color'.  Now that you know what it means to us, let's discover what it meant to composer Giuseppe Verdi, especially with regards to our next production, Rigoletto, opening this week!

Here's a repeat of the popular June 23, 2008 podcast on Rigoletto, which opens next week on March 28.  Listen as Nick Reveles explores the reasons why this opera is a highlight in the operatic output of composer Giuseppe Verdi, and why we should flock to see it!

Verdi's Rigoletto didn't just spring from nothingness: there were a number of baritone roles in his earlier operas that foreshadowed this brilliant creation.  Here are examples of two of them from Ernani and Macbeth.  Enjoy!