Lyric Opera 2024-2025 Issue 1 - Rigoletto

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 22 Gilda confesses to Giovanna that she is in love with a young man who has been following her home every day after church. The Duke now appears and declares his love for Gilda (Duet: È il sol dell’ anim a). He identifies himself as Gualtier Maldè, a penniless student. Hearing footsteps, he rushes off, leaving Gilda thinking lovingly of his name (Aria: Caro nome ). The courtiers appear, masked, ready to abduct Rigoletto’s supposed mistress. Rigoletto surprises them by returning, but Marullo convinces him that they are planning to abduct the wife of Count Ceprano, who lives nearby. Rigoletto falls into their trap, permitting himself to be blindfolded and masked. Unknowingly, he assists the conspirators (Chorus: Zitti, zitti ). Gilda cries out desperately to her father as she is carried off. Becoming suspicious, Rigoletto tears off the blindfold, realizes Gilda is gone, and cries, “Ah, the curse!” INTERMISSION ACT II The Duke laments the loss of Gilda (Recitative and Aria: Ella mi fu rapita!... Parmi veder le lagrime ). After the courtiers tell him of the abduction, he rejoices that the girl is now in the palace (Cabaletta: Possente amor ). When Rigoletto appears, he feigns nonchalance. Once it becomes clear to him that Gilda must be with the Duke, he tries to reach her, but the courtiers hold him back. His denunciation of their treachery dissolves into a bereft father’s pleading (Aria: Cortigiani, vil razza dannata ). Left alone with Rigoletto, Gilda confesses that she is in love with the Duke (Duet: Tutte le feste al tempio… Piangi, fanciulla ) and begs her father to forgive him. As Monterone appears on his way to prison, Rigoletto swears that they both will be avenged. ACT III Rigoletto has brought Gilda to Sparafucile’s inn to prove her lover’s faithlessness. As they lurk in the darkness, the Duke swaggers in. After proclaiming the fickleness of woman (Canzone: La donna è mobile ), he showers attention on Maddalena, the assassin’s attractive sister. As the flirtation progresses, Rigoletto tries to comfort his despairing daughter (Quartet: Un dì, si ben rammentomi… Bella figlia dell’ amore ). He orders her to return home, disguise herself as a boy, and meet him in Verona. He strikes a bargain with Sparafucile for the Duke’s murder and then departs. Gilda overhears Maddalena begging her brother to spare the handsome stranger’s life. Sparafucile agrees to deceive Rigoletto by substituting the corpse of the next person who appears at the inn. Having returned to the inn determined to sacrifice herself so the Duke may live, Gilda becomes Sparafucile’s next victim. At the stroke of midnight, Rigoletto pays the assassin. Sparafucile offers to dispose of the body, but Rigoletto reserves for himself the satisfaction of throwing the sack containing his enemy’s corpse in the river. Suddenly he hears the Duke’s voice. Rigoletto frantically cuts open the sack and finds his dying daughter (Duet: V’ho ingannato...Lassù in cielo ). Begging her father’s forgiveness, she dies. The despairing Rigoletto cries out once more, “Ah, the curse!” Synopsis continued