Rigoletto

Composer : Giuseppe Verdi
Librettist : Francesco Maria Piave
Opera Year : 1851

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ACT ONE. In his palace, the Duke of Mantua is celebrating, and confides to his courtier Borsa that his eye has been caught by a young girl he sees at church. However, this doesn�t stop him from boasting about his conquests, nor from seducing the Countess Ceprano right in front of her husband. His jester Rigoletto mocks the cuckolded Count Ceprano; however, the hunchback�s snide comments and cutting tongue do not make him popular with the courtiers. When Murello reveals that Rigoletto returns each night to his �mistress�, the men are delighted, and plot to kidnap the mistress immediately. Elder statesman Monterone bursts in, accusing the Duke of seducing his daughter, but is arrested and mocked by Rigoletto. In fury and frustration, Monterone lays a curse on both Duke and jester.

As Rigoletto wends his way home that night, he is worried by Monterone�s curse. He refuses the assistance of the assassin Sparafucile, but notes his name for future reference. Once home, he is delighted to see his daughter (whom the courtiers believe is his mistress). She is delighted to see him too, but questions him over whom her family are. Rigoletto speaks briefly about his dead wife, then warns Gilda to stay in the house, and entrusts her to the care of Giovanna, a servant. However, as soon as Rigoletto leaves, the Duke, who has been hiding in the garden, slips a bag of coins to Giovanna, who promptly leaves Gilda and he alone. The Duke pretends to be a poor student, Gualtier Malde, and declares his love for her. On hearing her father return, Gilda pushes him out, before sighing over her new-found love. However, it�s the courtiers she has heard. Rigoletto meets them in the street, and is fooled into being blindfolded and holding their ladder, believing they are abducting Countess Ceprano from her house across the street. Only when the deed is done and Gilda has been snatched away does he realise his mistake, as he rushes into the house and finds only her scarf. He believes that Monterone�s curse is beginning to work�

ACT TWO. Back at the palace, the Duke bemoans the disappearance of the girl he visited, when, much to his surprise, the courtiers tells him the whole abduction story. He rushes to find Gilda, who is installed in his apartments. Rigoletto arrives, cautiously searching for Gilda, and now it is his turn to be mocked by the courtiers. Only when they realise Gilda is his daughter do they tell him where she is, at which point she rushes into her father�s arms, in disarray. Tearfully she tells of her abduction and its sorry consequence. Prompted by the figure of Monterone being led to the gallows, Rigoletto swears revenge for both of them.

ACT THREE. Rigoletto takes Gilda to Sparafucile�s tavern in a dodgy part of town, so that she can see the now disguised Duke seducing the assassin�s sister, Maddalena. As she listens to the Duke�s seduction technique, Gilda breaks down in tears, but still loves him regardless. Rigoletto sends her home to change into boy�s clothes so they can flee to Verona. The jester then employs the assassin to kill the Duke; Rigoletto will return at midnight to throw the Duke�s body into the river. As he leaves, Gilda remains, and hears Maddalena begging for the life of the Duke. Sparafucile agrees to kill the first person who enters the inn instead, and Gilda decides to sacrifice herself. As the storm rages, she knocks on the door of the inn, and Sparafucile stabs her.

Rigoletto returns at midnight to collect the sack containing the Duke�s body, and is about to throw it into the river when he hears the Duke singing. He rips open the sack to discover his dying daughter, who begs his forgiveness. Monterone�s curse has done its work�

� 2005 Kirsty Young
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