Luciano Pavarotti performs in the iconic opera by Giuseppe Verdi. Rigoletto, a three-act opera by Verdi, features an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on Victor Hugo’s play Le roi s’amuse. Despite initial opposition from Austrian censors controlling northern Italian theaters at the time, the opera premiered triumphantly at La Fenice in Venice on March 11, 1851.
Regarded as one of the defining operatic masterpieces of Verdi’s middle-to-late career, Rigoletto tells a tragic tale involving the debauched Duke of Mantua, his hunchbacked jester Rigoletto, and Rigoletto’s beautiful daughter, Gilda. The opera’s original title, La maledizione (The Curse), refers to the curse cast upon both the Duke and Rigoletto by a nobleman whose daughter was seduced by the Duke, with Rigoletto’s encouragement. The curse is fulfilled when Gilda falls in love with the Duke and ultimately sacrifices her life to save him from assassins hired by her father.
Act 1
At a ball in his palace, the Duke sings about indulging in pleasures with numerous women: “Questa o quella” (“This woman or that”). Having noticed a mysterious beauty in church, he desires her, but also aims to seduce the Countess of Ceprano. Rigoletto, the Duke’s mocking jester, ridicules the husbands of women the Duke is pursuing, advising the Duke to dispose of them by prison or death. A guest named Marullo informs the noblemen that Rigoletto has a “lover,” which they find hard to believe. They decide to take revenge on Rigoletto. Soon, Rigoletto mocks Count Monterone, whose daughter the Duke had seduced. Monterone curses both the Duke and Rigoletto, which deeply unsettles Rigoletto.
Scene 2: A street outside Rigoletto’s house
Rigoletto, troubled by the curse, approaches his house and encounters the assassin Sparafucile, who offers his services. Rigoletto considers the proposal but ultimately declines. Sparafucile leaves, muttering his name. Rigoletto reflects on the similarities between himself and the assassin: “Pari siamo!” (“We are alike!”). While Sparafucile kills with his sword, Rigoletto uses his sharp tongue to harm others. He returns home to find his daughter, Gilda, and they warmly greet each other: “Figlia!” “Mio padre!” (“Daughter!” “My father!”). Rigoletto has kept Gilda hidden from the Duke and the city; she is unaware of his occupation and has only been out to church, never seeing her father’s work.
When Rigoletto leaves, the Duke arrives and overhears Gilda confiding in her nurse, Giovanna, about a young man she met at church. Gilda admits her love for him, desiring him even more if he were poor and a student. The Duke, pretending to be a student, convinces her of his love: “È il sol dell’anima” (“Love is the sunshine of the soul”). When Gilda asks his name, he hesitantly says he is Gualtier Maldè. Hearing noises and fearing her father’s return, Gilda sends the Duke away, and they exchange vows of love: “Addio, addio” (“Farewell, farewell”). Alone, Gilda reflects on her love for the Duke, whom she believes to be a student: “Gualtier Maldè!… Caro nome” (“Dearest name”).
Later, a distressed Rigoletto returns: “Riedo!… perché?” (“I’ve returned!… why?”), while outside, the noblemen, mistakenly believing Gilda is Rigoletto’s mistress, prepare to abduct her. They trick Rigoletto into helping, blindfolding him and pretending they are taking the Countess Ceprano. With his unknowing help, they abduct Gilda. When Rigoletto realizes it was his daughter, he collapses in horror, recalling the curse.
Act 2
The Duke’s Palace
The Duke, troubled by Gilda’s disappearance, sings: “Ella mi fu rapita!” (“She was stolen from me!”) and “Parmi veder le lagrime” (“I seem to see tears”). The noblemen enter and inform him they have captured Rigoletto’s mistress. Recognizing it as Gilda, the Duke rushes off to find her: “Possente amor mi chiama” (“Mighty love beckons me”). The courtiers, amused by his reaction, mock Rigoletto, who enters singing. Trying to hide his concern, Rigoletto pretends indifference but eventually admits he is searching for his daughter and demands her release: “Cortigiani, vil razza dannata” (“Accursed race of courtiers”). He tries to force his way into Gilda’s room, but the noblemen beat him. Gilda begs her father to leave, and the courtiers, thinking he’s gone mad, depart. Gilda tells Rigoletto what has transpired: “Tutte le feste al tempio” (“On all the blessed days”). In a duet, Rigoletto swears vengeance on the Duke, while Gilda pleads for his life: “Sì! Vendetta, tremenda vendetta!” (“Yes! Revenge, terrible revenge!”).
Act 3
Outside Sparafucile’s House
Sparafucile’s house is revealed, with two rooms visible to the audience. Rigoletto and Gilda arrive, and the Duke’s voice is heard singing “La donna è mobile” (“Woman is fickle”), a tune about the infidelity of women. Rigoletto makes Gilda realize the Duke is in Sparafucile’s house, attempting to seduce the assassin’s sister, Maddalena: “Bella figlia dell’amore” (“Beautiful daughter of love”).
Rigoletto bargains with Sparafucile, offering him 20 scudi to kill the Duke. He orders Gilda to disguise herself as a man, planning to leave for Verona, and states he will follow shortly. As night falls and a storm approaches, the Duke decides to stay in the house. Sparafucile assigns him a ground-floor room.
Gilda, still in love with the Duke, secretly returns dressed as a man. She overhears Maddalena begging Sparafucile to spare the Duke’s life. The assassin agrees to let him live if another man can be found to take his place by midnight. Gilda resolves to sacrifice herself and enters the house. She is fatally wounded and collapses.
At midnight, Rigoletto arrives with payment and receives a sack, believing it holds the Duke’s body. Overjoyed, he prepares to throw it into the river but hears the Duke’s voice singing “La donna è mobile” again. Opening the sack, he discovers to his horror that it contains his dying daughter. For a moment, Gilda revives and confesses she is happy to die for her love: “V’ho ingannato” (“Father, I deceived you”). She dies in his arms, and Rigoletto’s worst fear is realized as he cries out: “La maledizione!” (“The curse!”).
