Giuseppe Verdi "Rigoletto"

The opera Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi is based on the drama "The King Amuses Himself" by Victor Hugo. The libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave. However, Hugo's play was banned. Then, at the request of the censors, the historical king was replaced by a duke, and the ugly jester Triboulet was replaced by Rigoletto.

The opera premiered in March 1851 at the La Fenice opera house in Venice. From the very first production, the opera was a huge success. It became a repertoire for many theaters around the world.

In 2008, one of the world's leading directors Nikolaus Lehnhoff presented a new production of Giuseppe Verdi's opera Rigoletto at the famous Dresden Semperoper.

The Duke of Mantua gives a ball in his castle. He shows attention to Countess Ceprano, her husband watches jealously. Rigoletto, knowing the Duke's habits, advises him to kidnap the Countess. Ceprano, in anger, threatens Rigoletto with violence. In the midst of the merriment, Count Monterone bursts into the hall demanding the return of his daughter. The jester ridicules the Count, and the host of the ball orders the troublemaker to be arrested. He rains curses on the heads of the Duke and the jester.

Monterone's curses actually upset Rigoletto. He also had a daughter, whom he hid in a remote suburb, fearing the Duke. Returning home from the ball, the jester meets Sparafucile, who makes his living by killing people. He offered Rigoletto his services.

One day, Gilda met a young student, for whom the Duke pretended to be. The imaginary student seduced the girl, she fell in love with him. The courtiers consider Gilda to be Rigoletto's lover and plot to kidnap her for the Duke. Rigoletto runs into them at Gilda's house. The courtiers explain their presence by saying that they want to kidnap Countess Ceprano, who lives nearby. They ask the jester to help them, and he agrees. At that time, his daughter is kidnapped. Hearing her screams, Rigoletto realizes that he has been deceived.

The courtiers report that the jester's mistress is in his palace. The joyful duke hurries to his chambers. Rigoletto searches for his daughter and, upon learning that she is in the castle, demands that she be returned, but all in vain. Then Rigoletto goes to Sparafucile to order the duke's death. He is going to send his daughter to Verona.

The duke has had an affair with the sister of a hired killer. She is crazy about him and asks her brother to spare her lover. He agrees to kill the first person to knock on the door and pass him off to the jester as the duke. Gilda overheard the conversation and entered Sparafucile's house. The murderer gives Rigoletto the corpse in a sack, the satisfied jester is about to throw the hated duke's body into the river, but then he hears his cheerful singing. He opens the sack and sees his daughter. The jester is horrified by what has happened.

PERFORMERS:

Saxon State Capella

Conductor: Fabio Luisi

Soloists of the Dresden State Opera

Duke of Mantua - Juan Diego Flores

Rigoletto - Zeljko Lučić

Gilda - Diana Damrau

Count Monterone - Markus Marquardt

Semperoper, Dresden, 2008