RIGOLETTO

Composer: GIUSEPPE VERDI Book by Francesco Mario PiAvE, from Victor Hugo’s Le Roi s’amuse First performance: Teatro la Fenice, Venice, March 11, 1851; 4 acts. RIGOLETTO, the hump-backed court jester of the Prince of Mantua, laughs at the noblemen of the court for allowing the Prince to be attentive to their wives. They plot vengeance on him, and Count Monte rone curses him. The Prince disguised as a student has been courting Gilda, Rigoletto’s daughter, at church. The noblemen abduct her thinking she is Rigoletto’s mistre , Rigoletto finds Gilda at the palace with the Prince. He admits she is his daughter, and takes her away. Rigoletto goes to an inn where the Prince is staying, and plans his death with the aid of Sparafucile, a bandit. Maddalena, Sparafucile’s sister, begs him not to kill the Prince. Sparafucile promises not to if another comes to the inn before midnight. Gilda overhears this and, dre ed as a man, enters the inn. Rigoletto comes at midnight, and is given a body tied ina bag. He *s about to throw the bag in the river when he hears the Prince singing in the inn. Ina frenzy he unties the bag, and finds Gilda who with her dying breath says she is happy to die for her lover. Rigoletto realises that the curse of Count Monte rone has been fulfilled. Ring of the Nibelung