Rigoletto

Titta Ruffo like Rigoletto

Rigoletto [riɡoˈlɛtto] is an opera in three acts with music by Giuseppe Verdi and an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on the play The The King Has Fun, by Victor Hugo. Premiered on March 11, 1851 at the La Fenice theater in Venice, together with El troubadour and La traviata (both from 1853), it forms the popular trilogy that Verdi composed. in the middle of his career.

This is a drama of passion, deceit, filial love and revenge that stars Rigoletto, the hunchbacked court jester of the Duchy of Mantua.

History

Composition

In early 1851, Verdi was invited by the La Fenice theater in Venice to compose a new opera to be premiered there, at a time when he was already a well-known composer with a degree of freedom in choosing the works he preferred to orchestrate. He then asked Piave (with whom he had already worked on Ernani, I due Foscari, Macbeth, Il corsaro and Stiffelio) to examine the work Kean by Alexandre Dumas, Sr., but felt he needed a stronger theme to work with.

Verdi soon found the French drama Le Roi s’amuse (The King Has Fun), by the writer Victor Hugo. He later explained that "It contains extremely powerful positions... The subject is big, immense, and it has a character who is one of the most important creations of the theater of all countries and all ages." It was a highly controversial subject, and Hugo himself had had problems with censorship in France, which had banned productions of this play after its first performance nearly twenty years earlier (and would continue to be banned for another thirty years). As the Austria of the time directly controlled much of northern Italy (Lombard-Venetian Kingdom), he appeared before the Council of Austrian Censors. Hugo's work depicted a king (Francis I of France) as a cynical and immoral seducer, something that was unacceptable in Restoration Europe after the Napoleonic Wars.

From the beginning, Verdi was aware of the risk, as was Piave. In a letter, Verdi wrote to Piave: "He uses four legs, runs all over the city and find me an influential person who can get permission to make Le Roi s' amuse." Correspondence between a cautious Piave and an already compromised Verdi followed, and both were at risk and underestimated the power and intent of the Austrians. Even the friendly Guglielmo Brenna, secretary of La Fenice, who had promised them no trouble with the censors, was wrong.

In the early summer of 1850, rumors began to spread that the Austrian censorship was going to ban the production. They considered Hugo's work bordering on lèse majesté, and would never allow such a scandalous play to be staged in Venice. In August, Verdi and Piave prudently withdrew to Busseto, Verdi's hometown, to continue the composition and prepare a defensive scheme. They wrote to the theater, assuring that the censor's doubts about the play's morality were unjustified, but since time was short, little could be done. The composers secretly called the work The Curse.

Three months before the premiere, the censorship came again and vetoed the script. The communiqué read as follows: «The military governor of Venice, Mr. Gorzkowski, deplores that the poet Piave and the famous musician Verdi have not known how to choose another field to bring out their talents, than that of the disgusting immorality and obscene triviality of the plot of the libretto. titled La maledizione. His Excellency has thus arranged to absolutely veto the representation and wants me to warn this Presidency to refrain from any further insistence in this regard ». The censor De Gorzkowski used the unofficial title of the work, evidently known through spies, to reinforce, if necessary, the violent letter in which he definitively withheld his consent to the production.

In order not to waste the work, Piave tried to revise the libretto and was even able to extract from it another opera Il Duca di Vendome, in which the sovereign was replaced by a duke and both he and the hunchback and the curse disappeared. Verdi was completely against this solution and instead preferred to negotiate directly with the censors, arguing every point of the work.

The matter was resolved thanks to the diplomacy of the theater administrators. Brenna, the secretary of La Fenice, showed the Austrians some letters and articles depicting the bad character but great value of the artist, helping to mediate the dispute. They moved to Busseto and there they agreed with Verdi and the librettist to change at least these points: Transfer the action of the Court of France to a duchy of France or Italy; and change the names of the protagonists invented by Victor Hugo. In the Italian version the duke rules Mantua and belongs to the Gonzaga family: the Gonzagas were long extinct in the mid-19th century19th century, and the Duchy of Mantua no longer existed, so no one could be offended. The scene where the sovereign retires to Gilda's room would be removed. The duke's visit to the tavern would not be dictated by base purposes, but prompted by a trick. The hunchback (originally Triboulet) came to be called Rigoletto (from the French rigolo = funny). The name of the work was also changed.

Verdi accepted these conditions and the contract was signed. The signatures were three: Verdi, Piave and Guglielmo Brenna, secretary of La Fenice. This is how the opera Rigoletto that is known today was born. Verdi proposed in this work to reconcile the traditional structure of melodrama with the complexity of the protagonist, Rigoletto, and censorship could not change that with its conditions. The jester Rigoletto is a Verdian character, who moves between affection for his daughter and hatred for the Duke and the courtiers. It is exactly what Verdi wanted to do.

Representations

For the premiere, Verdi had Felice Varesi as Rigoletto, the young tenor Raffaele Mirate as the duke, and Teresina Brambilla as Gilda (although Verdi would have preferred Teresa De Giuli Borsi). Teresina Brambilla was a well-known soprano from a family of singers and musicians; one of her nieces, Teresa Brambilla, was the wife of Amilcare Ponchielli.

The opening was a complete triumph, especially the dramatic scene, and the duke's cynical aria, "La donna è mobile," was sung through the streets the next day.

Because of the high risk of unauthorized copying, Verdi had required top secrecy from all singers and musicians. Mirate had the sheet music at his disposal only a few evenings before the premiere and he was forced to swear that he would not sing or whistle the tune of "La donna è mobile".

Many years later, Giulia Cori, daughter of Varesi, described her father's performance at the premiere. Playing the original Rigoletto, her father was really uncomfortable with the fake hump he had to wear; he was so insecure that, even as an experienced singer, he had a panic attack when it was his turn to go on stage. Verdi immediately realized that he was paralyzed and brutally pushed him onto the stage, so that he appeared with an awkward fall. This greatly amused the public, who thought it was a joke.

The UK premiere took place on May 14, 1853 in what is now the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in London. In the United States, the opera was first seen on February 19, 1855 at the New York Academy of Music.

In modern times, it has become a landmark in the standard operatic repertoire and appears as number ten on Operabase's list of the most performed operas worldwide, being the 6th in Italy and the second by Verdi, after La Traviata.

Characters

Photograph by Giuseppe Verdi, taken by Étienne Carjat (1828-1906)

Plot

The action takes place in the city of Mantua (Italy) and its surroundings, during the XVI century.

	«La donna è mobile» Interpreted by Enrico Caruso in 1908. «Bella figlia dell'amore» Interpreted by Enrico Caruso, Bessie Abott, Louise Homer and Antonio Scotti in 1907.
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Act I

Scene 1: Living room in the ducal palace

The curtain rises and the scene is set in a salon, in the palace of the Duke of Mantua, where a party is being held. The duke sings of a life of pleasure with as many women as possible (Questa o quella - This [woman] or that one). He boasts of his new adventure of conquest towards an unknown young woman from the village, whom he has seen in the church (later, it will be discovered that she is Gilda, daughter of Rigoletto), but he also wants to seduce the Countess of Ceprano in full view of her husband. Rigoletto, the duke's hunchbacked jester, taunts the husbands of the ladies the duke is paying attention to, advising the duke to get rid of them by imprisoning or killing them. Marullo informs the courtiers that the jester Rigoletto is hiding a "lover", and the nobles do not believe it. Since almost the entire court has been the victim of Rigoletto's ridicule, everyone wants to pay him back. Subsequently, Rigoletto mocks Count Monterone, another whom the Duke has insulted by dishonoring his daughter and who enters the scene demanding revenge. The Duke has him arrested. Monterone is arrested while proclaiming the famous maledizione that will bring doom to Rigoletto. The curse terrifies Rigoletto.

Scene 2: A street, with the courtyard of Rigoletto's house

Rigoletto returns home worried about the curse. He is approached by a stranger, Sparafucile, a hit man who offers his services to Rigoletto. Rigoletto contemplates the similarities between the two of them (Pari siamo! - "We are alike!"); Sparafucile kills the men with his sword, and Rigoletto uses "a tongue of malice" to kill him. to stab his victims. He enters the house and there he finds Gilda, his daughter (whom the courtiers had taken to be his mistress). Gilda lives hidden and protected by her father. They greet each other affectionately in the duet Figlia!, Mio padre! - "Daughter!" & # 34; My Father! & # 34;, which shows the relationship between the two: Rigoletto is a loving father and fearful of losing his daughter; Gilda is a girl eager for knowledge, although she respects her father a lot. Rigoletto has been hiding his daughter from the duke and the rest of the city, and she does not know her father's occupation. Since he has forbidden her to appear in public, she has only been at home and at church and she doesn't even know the name of her father. Rigoletto insists that Gilda only go out to mass and that her maid, Giovanna, accompany her.

When Rigoletto has left, the duke appears and, hidden, learns that Gilda is actually Rigoletto's daughter and that he feels guilty for not having told his father about the young man he met in church, but that she will love him even more if he were poor. After bribing Giovanna, the duke manages to enter the garden of Rigoletto's house and declares his love for her. The duke lies to Gilda about her identity saying that she is a student ( E il sol dell & # 39; anima -& # 34; Love is the sun of the soul & # 34;). When she asks his name, he hesitantly calls himself Gualtier Maldé. Outside, the voices of Ceprano and Borsa are heard planning the kidnapping of Rigoletto's supposed lover and Gilda fears that he is her father again. She throws the duke out after quickly exchanging vows of love (Addio, addio-& #34; Bye-bye & # 34;). The duke leaves and Gilda is left alone meditating on her love for the duke, whom she believes to be a student ( Gualtier Maldè!... Caro nome -& # 34; Dear name & # 3. 4;).

Later, in the dead of night the hostile courtiers meet Rigoletto outside the garden wall. They believe that Gilda is Rigoletto's lover, and they prepare to kidnap the defenseless girl. They convince Rigoletto that they are preparing the kidnapping of Ceprano's wife, they blindfold him and use him to help them with the kidnapping. They are all masked and Rigoletto helps, not realizing that he is helping to kidnap his own daughter Gilda. When Rigoletto realizes it is already too late. Filled with anguish, he collapses, remembering "Ah, la maledizione! ".

Act II

The Duke's Palace

The duke is worried because Gilda has disappeared (She my fu rapita! - "She was stolen!" and Parmi vedar le lacrime - "I seem to see the tears"). The courtiers enter and offer the duke Rigoletto's supposed mistress. The duke realizes that it is about Gilda and goes in search of her ( Possente amor mi chiama -& # 34; The powerful love calls me & # 34;). Delighted by the duke's strange excitement, the courtiers now amuse themselves at Rigoletto's expense, who enters singing. He tries to find out where Gilda is by pretending he doesn't care about her, since what he fears most is that she has fallen into the duke's hands. Finally, he admits that he is in fact looking for her daughter and asks the courtiers to return her to him; the courtiers deny her and the enraged and desperate jester directs hers Cortigiani, vile razza dannata -& # 34; Cursed race of courtiers & # 34;. The men beat Rigoletto after trying to enter the room where Gilda is being held. Gilda enters the scene and begs her father to fire all those people. The men leave the room, believing that Rigoletto has gone mad. Gilda discovers to her father what has been happening to her for some time: that she has fallen in love with a young man whom she saw every Sunday in church, who has courted her, telling her that he was a poor student (Tutte le feste al tempio - "All public holidays"), and that when she was kidnapped she discovered that it was actually the duke. Rigoletto plans to take revenge on the duke, while his daughter asks him to forgive her (duet: Sì! Vendetta, tremendous vendetta! -& # 34; Yes! Revenge, terrible revenge! & # 34;).

Act III

A street outside Sparafucile's house

On the banks of a river, part of Sparafucile's house is visible, with two rooms open for public viewing. It is night. Rigoletto has commissioned Sparafucile to assassinate the duke, but first he must undeceive Gilda by showing her licentious behavior. Rigoletto and Gilda, who still loves the duke, arrive outside. The duke's voice can be heard singing the famous aria La donna è mobile, speaking of infidelity and the fickle nature of women. Rigoletto makes Gilda realize that it is the duke who is at the murderer's house and that he is trying to seduce Sparafucile's sister, Maddalena (Bella figlia dell'amore - "Beautiful daughter of love"). Enter Maddalena, Sparafucile's sister and accomplice, who flirts with the duke and he easily succumbs to his charms. Rigoletto strikes a deal with the assassin, who is willing to kill his guest for money, offering him 10 gold escudos for killing the duke. Rigoletto orders Gilda to go home, take money and, dressed as a man, flee to Verona and states that he plans to follow her later. The assassin and the jester decide that after his death, the duke's body will be put in a sack and thrown into the river.

As night falls, a storm rages and the duke decides to spend the night at the inn. Sparafucile assigns him quarters on the ground floor.

Gilda, who still loves the duke despite knowing he is disloyal, returns dressed as a man. She hears Maddalena trying to convince her brother not to kill him, but the jester. Sparafucile cannot murder a customer, apart from showing his concern for the ten scudi that Rigoletto still owes him for completing the order, but he promises to exchange it for the first man to show up at the tavern, if this happens before midnight. Gilda decides to sacrifice herself to save the man she has fallen in love with. She enters the tavern asking for asylum, posing as a beggar. Immediately, Sparafucile reaches her with her dagger, falls mortally wounded.

At midnight, the storm ends and Rigoletto enters the scene with the money. Sparafucile hands him the sack with the supposed body of the duke and rejoices in his triumph. As he prepares to throw it into the river, with stones to sink it, he hears the duke's voice from inside the inn La donna è mobile . Horrified, he opens the sack and, to his despair, discovers his dying daughter. For a moment, she revives and is content to die instead of her beloved ( V & # 39; ho ingannato -& # 34; Father, I have deceived you & # 34;). She dies in her arms. The scene ends with Rigoletto's heartbreaking lament in which he recalls Monterone's maledizione .

Instrumentation

The orchestra requires 2 flutes, (Flute 2 doubles piccolo), 2 oboes, (Oboe 2 doubles English horn) 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns in Eb, D, C, Lab, G, and F, 2 trumpets in C, D, and Eb, 3 trombones, cimbasso, timpani, bass drum and cymbals, and strings.

Offstage: Band, bass drum, 2 bells, thunder machine. On stage: Violins I and II, violas and double basses.

Paraphrase by Franz Liszt

The composer Franz Liszt made his own transcription for piano only of the Act III quartet, Bella figlia dell'amore, contrary to other transcriptions in which he included several numbers from the same opera. As with the rest of his transcriptions, he made a series of changes and arrangements that make it far from original, including multiple passages and virtuoso cadenzas, and adds certain magical elements to the work (notably in the Prelude section), as well as generating a dream mental scenario.

Virtuoso pianist György Cziffra recorded a version of it.

Discography