TCO's 'Rigoletto' a fine production of a classic

What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than with a large dose of R and R?

The first R refers to the Tri-Cities Opera's production of Verdi's "Rigoletto," which made me so grateful that I reside in the Binghamton area. New York City may have its Metropolitan Opera but we have our TCO! Bravo to Guido LeBron for his heart-wrenching performance as Rigoletto, and brava to Meroe Khalia Adeeb for her incandescent portrayal of Rigoletto's doomed daughter.

TCO's new general director, Susan Ashbaker, has begun the season with the proverbial bang, and the remaining two operas in the year's repertoire should only reiterate this explosion of fine music and acting. The rest of the cast and the orchestra under the baton of Andrew Bisantz made this "Rigoletto" truly memorable.

And the second R? Rigatoni, of course. What better way to top off an afternoon of Italian opera than with the dish of Italian pasta?

PHILIP A. CALI

BINGHAMTON