Сharacters in the play
Boris Statsenko performs the role of Rigoletto
Rigoletto, the Duke’s jester — baritone
Gilda, his daughter — soprano
Duke of Mantua — tenor
Sparafucile, an assassin — bass
Maddalena, his sister — contralto
Giovanna, Gilda’s Nurse — mezzo-soprano
Count Ceprano — bass
Countess Ceprano, his wife — mezzo-soprano
Matteo Borsa, a courtier — tenor
Count Monterone — baritone
Marullo — baritone
A Court Usher — bass
A Page — mezzo-soprano
Creation
Сontents
Act 1
Scene 1:
A room in the palace
The Duke has seen an unknown beauty in church and desires to possess her, but he also wishes to seduce the Countess Ceprano. Rigoletto, the Duke’s hunchbacked jester, mocks the husbands of the ladies to whom the Duke is paying attention, and advises the Duke to get rid of them by prison or death. The noblemen, especially Count Monterone, whose daughter the Duke had dishonoured, resolve to take vengeance on Rigoletto. Monterone curses the Duke and Rigoletto.
Scene 2:
A street
Half the stage, divided by a wall, is occupied by the courtyard of Rigoletto’s house.
Thinking of the curse, the jester approaches his house and is accosted by the assassin Sparafucile, who offers his services. Rigoletto contemplates the similarities between the two of them: Sparafucile uses his sword, Rigoletto both his tongue and wits to fight. The hunchback opens a door in the wall and returns home to his daughter Gilda, whom he is concealing from the prince and the rest of the city. She does not know her father’s occupation and, as he has forbidden her to appear in public, she has been nowhere except to church.
When Rigoletto has gone, the Duke appears and overhears Gilda confess to her nurse Giovanna that she feels guilty for not having told her father about a student she had met at the church, but that she would love him even more if he were poor. Just as she declares her love, the Duke enters, overjoyed, convincing Gilda of his love, though she resists at first. When she asks for his name, he hesitantly calls himself Gualtier Maldé. Hearing sounds and fearing that her father has returned, Gilda sends the Duke away after they quickly repeat their vows of love to each other.
Later, the hostile noblemen outside the walled garden, believing her to be the jester’s mistress, convince Rigoletto to help them abduct the Countess Ceprano. He assists them in their arrangements, but they actually abduct Gilda. Too late, Rigoletto realizes that he has been duped and, collapsing, remembers the curse.
Act 2
The Duke’s Palace
The noblemen inform the Duke that they have captured Rigoletto’s mistress and, by their description, he recognizes it to be Gilda. Since she is in the palace, he rushes off to see her, declaring that at last, she will know the truth and that he will give up his wealth and position for her, the first person who has inspired him to really love. Perplexed at first by the Duke’s strange excitement, the courtiers now make sport with Rigoletto. He tries to find Gilda by pretending to be uncaring, as he fears she may fall into the hands of the Duke. Finally, to general astonishment, he acknowledges that he is seeking his daughter. Gilda rushes in, begs her father to send the people away, and acknowledges the shame she feels in finding out his profession. Rigoletto demands vengeance against his master, while Gilda pleads for him.
Act 3
A street outside an Inn
Half the stage shows Sparafucile’s house, with two rooms, one above the other, open to the view of the audience. Rigoletto and Gilda, who still loves the prince, arrive outside. Rigoletto shows her that the Duke, half-drunk in despair over losing Gilda, is in the assassin’s house but attempting to seduce Sparafucile’s sister, Maddalena. (Aria: La donna e mobile, laying out the infidelity and fickle nature of women).
Rigoletto bargains with the assassin, who is ready to murder his guest for money. Rigoletto orders his daughter to put on man’s attire in order to prepare to go to Verona, where he plans to follow later. Rigoletto offers the assassin 20 scudi for killing the Duke. As a thunderstorm is approaching, the Duke determines to remain in the house, and Sparafucile assigns to him the ground floor sleeping quarters.
Gilda, who still loves the Duke and despite knowing him to be unfaithful, returns dressed as a man. She overhears Maddalena begging for the Duke’s life, so the assassin promise her that, if by midnight another can be found in place of the Duke, he will spare the Duke’s life. Gilda resolves to sacrifice herself for the Duke and enters the house. She is immediately mortally wounded and collapses.
When Rigoletto arrives with the money, he receives a corpse wrapped in a sack, and rejoices in his triumph. Weighting it with stones, he is about to cast the sack into the river when he hears the voice of the Duke singing a reprise of his bitter aria. Bewildered, he opens the sack and, to his despair, discovers his mortally-wounded daughter. For a moment, she revives and declares she is glad to die for her beloved. As she takes her final breath, Rigoletto exclaims in horror, «The curse!», which is fulfilled upon both master and servant.