The cast also includes Carlo Guelfi as Rigoletto, Nancy Fabiola Herrera as Maddalena, and Eric Halfverson as Sparafucile.
The production was created by Otto Schenk; Sharon Thomas is the director. Asher Fisch conducts.
There are additional performances of Rigoletto with Netrebko and Villaz‹n tonight and on December 17 and between January 28 and February 18, 2006. (The December 17 performance will be heard on the Met's weekly radio broadcast.) According to the Associated Press, Netrebko and Villaz‹n will appear separately at the Met next season and will return together for Gounod's Rom_o et Juliette in 2007-08.
Photos by Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera.