Act I
Act II
Act III
synopsis
Act I
The curtain rises on a ballroom scene at the palace of the Duke of Mantua. An offstage band provides the music, as attendees dance a courtly minuet and a rustic perigordino and celebrate with choruses. Above, the commotion, the Duke converses with Borsa about a pretty girl he has seen in the city. He is unaware that she is Gilda, the daughter of the hunchbacked court jester Rigoletto. The Duke sings a simple strophic aria about women,“ This one or that one, they’ re the same to me.” He flirts with the Countess Ceprano right in front of her husband, whom Rigoletto mocks as a cuckold. The festivities are interrupted by the appearance of Count Monterone, demanding to see the Duke, who has seduced his daughter. Rigoletto mimics the old man, who then levels on curse on him:“ You, serpent, you who laugh at a father’ s pain, be cursed!”
Rigoletto is badly shaken and leaves the palace, muttering:“ That old man cursed me!” A spectral figure emerges from the shadows: it is Sparafucile, an assassin, who sizes up the situation very quickly and offers his services to Rigoletto. In an unusual duet, they discuss terms, leave open the possibility for collaboration and go their separate ways. But Rigoletto sees Sparafucile as a reflection of himself:“ We are the same. I have language, he has a dagger. I am the man who mocks men, he is the man who kills them.” He buries those thoughts and arrives home to be greeted by his daughter, an innocent who knows nothing of her mother or father, even his name. Rigoletto warns his daughter and her chaperone Giovanna not to let anyone in and leaves. The Duke, disguised as Gualtier Maldé, having paid off Giovanna, enters the house and courts Gilda, a besotted teenager, who dreams about love in“ Caro nome.” The act ends as the courtiers kidnap Gilda, while Rigoletto, thinking their prey is the Countess Ceprano, eggs them on.
INTERMISSION
Act II
The Duke, unaware that Gilda has been kidnapped by his own courtiers, pines for her. But, when the courtiers bring her in, he is overcome by joy and goes to her. Scene 2 takes place after the seduction. Rigoletto enters, humming to himself(“ La ra la ra”) without making eye contact with the courtiers who see him as“ Poor Rigoletto,” A most unusual aria unfolds, as Rigoletto questions the courtiers, demands that his daughter be returned to him, and then falls weeping, and begging. The courtiers are shocked that the beautiful young woman they kidnapped the night before is the daughter of a crude, deformed court jester. Gilda is released and runs to her father. Despite the betrayal, Gilda still loves the Duke. Monterone, appears, now being led to his execution. He bitterly addresses a portrait of the Duke,“ You will live forever happily …” Rigoletto vows revenge while Gilda begs her father to forgive her betrayer.
Act III
The scene is a dilapidated inn on the banks of the Mincio river outside Mantua. Rigoletto has followed the Duke to Sparafucile’ s place and has taken Gilda with him to let her see for herself that the Duke is a predator, incapable of love. The Duke asks for some wine and a room and sings about the fickleness of women(“ La donna è mobile”). Rigoletto and Gilda look through the window and see the Duke making love to Sparafucile’ s sister Maddalena( the famous quartet,“ Beautiful daughter of love …”). Rigoletto instructs Gilda to go home, dress as a man, and flee to their old home. Gilda again begs for her father to have mercy. Sparafucile and Rigoletto confirm their deal: 20 scudi to kill the Duke, and 20 more upon delivery of the corpse. Sparafucile offers to dispose of the body, but Rigoletto insists on doing it himself, because“ He is Crime. I am Punishment.” Maddalena entreats her brother not to kill such a handsome young man; they agree instead to murder the first person who walks through the door and trick Rigoletto by stuffing the dead body into a sack. A violent storm ensues, and as lightning, thunder, and wind rage in fury, Gilda, now disguised, enters the inn, implores the heavens for pardon, and is stabbed. Rigoletto, luxuriating in his newfound power, takes the“ package,” but suddenly hears the Duke singing in the distance,“ La donna è mobile.” He opens the sack to discover Gilda; breathing her last, she dies in his arms. Monterone’ s curse is complete.
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