The OperaEnglish SynopsisSinopsis en Español
The Story
The lecherous Duke of Mantua seduces wives and daughters while his hunchbacked Jester, Rigoletto, adds insult to injury by ridiculing their husbands and fathers. Finally, the joke goes too far and a furious father pronounces a curse on Rigoletto. The curse comes alive as the Duke seduces Rigoletto’s young, innocent daughter Gilda, then deepens when Rigoletto hires an assassin to kill the Duke. Will Gilda’s love for the Duke finally bring the curse down upon them all?
The Music
Fast paced, powerful, simply wonderful music, this is Verdi at his best. You’ll recognize melody after melody from the tenor’s arrogant "La donna è mobile", to the great Quartet, to the soprano’s wistful "Caro nome".
The Look
Our beautifully traditional vision takes this timeless classic back in time. From the glitter and glamour of the Duke’s Court, to the sleazy inn where Rigoletto recruits his assassin – you’ll be transported to the world of the Italian Renaissance.
Cast Highlights
Towering Georgian baritone, Lado Ataneli – star of the Metropolitan Opera’s 2008 Macbeth and our 2005 Simon Boccanegra – is the tragic jester, Rigoletto. Joining him is Italian tenor, Roberto Aronica, as the Duke of Mantua. Stunning Slovak soprano, L'ubica Vargicová rounds out our fabulous cast as Gilda.
The running time is approximately 2 hours, 42 minutes.
Act I
In his palace ballroom, the Duke of Mantua tells Borsa of his designs on a beautiful girl he has seen in church. Then, admiring Count Ceprano’s wife, the Duke rejoices in the beauty of women and his libertine hedonism. The Duke’s flirtatious dance with the Countess causes Rigoletto, the court jester, to mock the enraged but helpless Count. The nobles, delighted by the Duke’s daring, are even more amused when Marullo bursts in with the latest gossip: Rigoletto is keeping a young mistress in his home. Sure of his master’s protection, the jester is so free with his humiliating jibes that Ceprano plots with other courtiers to punish him. Monterone forces his way into the party to denounce the Duke for seducing his daughter. Viciously ridiculed by Rigoletto, Monterone hurls a father’s curse at the terrified jester.
ACT II
On the way home that night, Rigoletto broods over Monterone’s curse. A dark figure, Sparafucile, steps from the shadows, offering his services as an assassin. The jester dismisses him, reflecting that his own tongue is as sharp as any murderer’s dagger. He enters the courtyard. Gilda, his daughter, rushes into his arms. When she questions him about her long-dead mother, Rigoletto nostalgically describes his wife as an angel, adding that Gilda is everything to him. But he will not reveal his name or allow her to leave the house except to go to church. Rigoletto warns her nurse, Giovanna, to admit no one. He runs out to the street when he hears someone at the gate. At the same moment, the Duke slips into the courtyard, unseen by Gilda, who confesses to Giovanna that she is in love with a young man who follows them to church. Waving Giovanna away, the Duke tells Gilda that he loves her too, and is “Gualtier Maldè,” a poor student. At the sound of footsteps – Ceprano and Borsa are rallying courtiers outside – Gilda begs him to leave and they exchange excited goodbyes. Repeating his name, Gilda goes up to bed. Meanwhile, the malicious courtiers stop Rigoletto outside and ask him to help abduct Ceprano’s wife, who lives across the street. The jester is duped into wearing a blindfold and holding a ladder against his own garden wall. The courtiers break into his house and carry Gilda off. Rigoletto discovers the deception only when he realizes that the abduction is taking too long and hears Gilda’s cries for help. He tears off the blindfold and rushes into the house. Not finding Gilda, he remembers Monterone’s curse.
ACT III
In his palace, the Duke is puzzled that he did not find Gilda when he returned to her house. When his courtiers return, saying they took her and she is now in his chamber, he dashes off to his new conquest. Rigoletto enters, pretending indifference as he searches for Gilda. Though the courtiers are astonished to learn she is his daughter, they bar his way. He lashes out at their cruelty, and then begs for mercy. Gilda appears and runs in shame to her father. Alone with Rigoletto, Gilda tells of falling in love at church, of the Duke’s courtship and of her abduction. When Monterone is led through on his way to the dungeons, Rigoletto declares he will avenge them both, though Gilda begs him not to harm the Duke.
ACT IV
On a stormy night, Rigoletto and Gilda wait outside a lonely inn where Sparafucile and his sister and accomplice Maddalena live. When Gilda insists she still loves the Duke, Rigoletto makes her watch as the Duke, disguised as a soldier and laughing at the fickleness of women, makes love to Maddalena. Rigoletto tells Gilda to go off to Verona, disguised as a boy. When she has gone, Rigoletto hires Sparafucile to murder the Duke and leaves. A storm breaks. Gilda returns to overhear Maddalena urge her brother to spare the stranger and kill Rigoletto instead. Sparafucile agrees to substitute the next person who comes to the inn. Gilda, resolved to sacrifice herself for the Duke, knocks at the door and is stabbed. As the storm subsides, Rigoletto returns to claim his prize—only to hear his supposed victim singing in the distance. Frantically opening the sack containing a body, he finds his dying daughter. Rigoletto cries out that Monterone’s curse has been fulfilled.
ACTO I
En el salón de baile de su palacio, el Duque de Mantua cuenta a Borsa que tiene en la mira a una hermosa muchacha que ha visto en la iglesia. A su vez, el duque admira a la esposa del Conde Ceprano. Se regocija en contemplar la belleza de las mujeres y se jacta de su propio hedonismo. La danza frívola que comparte el duque con la condesa motiva a Rigoletto, el bufón de la corte, a mofarse del enfurecido pero indefenso conde. Los nobles, deleitados por la osadía del duque, se divierten aun más cuando Marullo entra a comunicar los últimos chismes: Rigoletto mantiene a una joven amante en su casa. Sintiéndose protegido por su amo, el bufón lanza tantas humillantes burlas que Ceprano traza un plan con otros cortesanos para castigarlo. Monterone entra a la fiesta para denunciar al duque por seducir a su hija. Rigoletto lo ridiculiza cruelmente y Monterone lanza la maldición de un padre deshonrado al aterrorizado bufón.
ACTO II
Camino a casa esa noche, Rigoletto medita preocupado por la maldición de Monterone. Una figura oscura aparece desde las sombras. Es Sparafucile, asesino profesional, quien llega a ofrecer sus servicios a Rigoletto. El bufón lo rechaza y declara que su propia lengua es tan filosa como la daga de cualquier asesino. Entra al patio de su casa. Gilda, su hija, corre a los brazos de su padre. Cuando la muchacha le cuestiona acerca de su madre, muerta hace años, Rigoletto describe con nostalgia a su esposa como un ángel, y añade que Gilda es todo para él. Pero no revela el nombre de su madre, ni le permite salir de la casa sino para ir a misa con su ama. Rigoletto advierte a su ama Giovanna que no debe dejar pasar a nadie. Sale a la calle cuando oye a alguien en la entrada. En el mismo momento, el duque entra sigilosamente al patio sin ser visto por Gilda, quien confiesa a Giovanna que está enamorada de un joven que ha visto en la iglesia. Haciendo señas a Giovanna para que se vaya, el duque confiesa a Gilda que él también la ama; miente a Gilda sobre su identidad, y declara que él es “Gualtier Maldé,” un pobre estudiante. Se oyen pasos. Los cortesanos Ceprano y Borsa están afuera. Gilda le ruega al duque que se vaya, y se despiden emocionados. Gilda se retira para acostarse mientras repite el nombre de su amado. Entretanto, los maliciosos cortesanos detienen a Rigoletto afuera y le piden que les ayude a raptar a la esposa de Ceprano, quien vive al frente. Engañan al bufón a llevar los ojos vendados y sostener una escalera contra la pared de su propio jardín. Los cortesanos entran a su casa y se llevan a Gilda. Rigoletto descubre el engaño sólo cuando se da cuenta que el secuestro se está demorando mucho y oye los gritos de Gilda. Se arranca la venda de los ojos y corre dentro de la casa. Sin encontrar a Gilda, recuerda la maldición de Monterone.
ACTO III
En su palacio, el duque se extraña de no haber encontrado a Gilda al regresar a la casa de la muchacha. Cuando entran sus cortesanos informándole que la raptaron y que Gilda está ahora en su habitación, el duque sale precipitadamente a encontrarse con su nueva conquista. Entra Rigoletto, fingiendo indiferencia mientras busca a Gilda. Aunque los cortesanos se sorprenden al enterarse que ella es su hija, le impiden entrar. El bufón arremete contra ellos por su crueldad, y les suplica que tengan piedad. Gilda aparece y corre, humillada, a su padre. Sola con Rigoletto, Gilda le cuenta de haberse enamorado en la iglesia, del cortejo del duque y de haber sido raptada. Cuando llevan a Monterone camino al calabozo, Rigoletto declara que se vengará de ambos, a pesar de que Gilda le suplica no herir al duque.
ACTO IV
En una noche de tormenta, Rigoletto y Gilda esperan afuera de una triste posada donde viven Sparafucile y Magdalena, su hermana y cómplice. Cuando Gilda insiste que aún ama al duque, Rigoletto le obliga a observarlo, disfrazado de soldado y riéndose de la veleidad de las mujeres, mientras hace el amor con Magdalena. Rigoletto ordena a Gilda irse a Verona, disfrazada de muchacho. Cuando Gilda se va, Rigoletto contrata a Sparafucile para asesinar al duque, y se marcha. Cae una tormenta. Gilda regresa y oye a Magdalena instar a su hermano a no matar al forastero, sino matar a Rigoletto en su lugar. Sparafucile consiente en no matar al duque, pero decide matar a la primera persona que llegue a la posada. Gilda, resuelta a sacrificarse por el duque, toca la puerta y Sparafucile le clava el puñal. Al calmarse la tormenta, Rigoletto regresa para recoger su premio pero oye a su supuesta víctima cantando a la distanca. Horrorizado, abre la bolsa que contiene un cuerpo y encuentra a su hija moribunda. Rigoletto grita que la maldición de Monterone se ha cumplido.
|
|
THE CAST
Please click an artist’s name to read more.
-
Gilda
L’ubica Vargicová
Gilda
L’ubica Vargicová
San Diego Opera debut. Slovakian soprano L’ubica Vargicová has a long history with the Slovak National Theatre where she has performed The Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute, Violetta in La traviata, Olympia in The Tales of Hoffmann, and more recently Gilda in Rigoletto, Amina in La Sonnambula, Norina in Don Pasquale, Konstanze in The Abduction from the Seraglio, Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor and Ophélie in Hamlet. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut as The Queen of the Night in 2005 and debuted with the Salzburg Festival as Olympia in 2003. She made her highly acclaimed debut at the Wiener Staatsoper as Gilda and returned in 2002 and 2003 as Amina. Recent engagements include Marie in The Daughter of the Regiment in Bratislava and Lima, Violetta and Marie with Staatsoper Hamburg, and Olympia in The Tales of Hoffmann in Madrid.
-
Duke of Mantua
Roberto Aronica
Duke of Mantua
Roberto Aronica
San Diego Opera debut. Since his debut in 1992 as the Duke of Mantua with Teatro Municipal in Santiago, Italian tenor Roberto Aronica has been in demand at all the world’s leading opera houses. His American debut was with San Francisco Opera in 1993 as Rodolfo in La bohème and he returned the following year as Alfredo in La traviata. His Metropolitan Opera appearances include Alfredo in 1998, the Duke of Mantua in 2001, Rodolfo in La bohème and Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly in 2004. He has appeared with Wiener Staatsoper, Royal Opera at Covent Garden, Bayerische Staatsoper, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opéra de Paris, La Scala, and Staatsoper Dresden. Aronica performs regularly in his native Italy and can be heard as Alfredo in a complete recording of La traviata on the Bongiovanni label.
-
Rigoletto
Lado Ataneli
Rigoletto
Lado Ataneli
Georgian baritone Lado Ataneli made his San Diego Opera debut singing the title role of Simon Boccanegra in 2005. Recent performances include Renato in A Masked Ball for Wiener Staatsoper, and Macbeth and Tonio in Pagliacci with the Metropolitan Opera. Ataneli made his La Scala debut in the title role of Macbeth and his Metropolitan Opera debut in 2002 in the title role of Nabucco. His extensive repertory includes roles in A Masked Ball, La forza del destino, Otello, La traviata, I Vespri Siciliani, La Fanciulla del West, Il Tabarro and Tosca as well as Giordani’s Andrea Chénier, Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana and Ponchielli’s La Gioconda. He performs regularly at the Wiener Staatsoper, Staatsoper Hamburg, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bayerishe Staatsoper, Opéra national de Paris and Royal Opera House Covent Garden. His discography includes La Gioconda with Placido Domingo as well as a newly released CD of opera arias.
-
Maddalena
Kirstin Chávez
Maddalena
Kirstin Chávez
American mezzo-soprano Kirstin Chávez made her San Diego Opera debut in the title role of Thérèse Raquin in 2003 and returned in 2006 as Rosina in The Barber of Seville. Her Metropolitan Opera debut was as Sondra Finchley in An American Tragedy and she returned as Bersi in Andrea Chénier. She has performed Carmen with New York City Opera, Opera Australia, Tokyo City Opera and Oper Graz in Austria. Recent performances include the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos and Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro for New York City Opera, Jo in Little Women for Opera Pacific, Dorabella in Così fan tutte for Orlando Opera, Utah Opera and Opera Lenawee, Rosina in The Barber of Seville for Santa Fe Opera, Orlando Opera and Connecticut Opera and Maddalena in Rigoletto for New York City Opera.
-
Sparafucile
Arutjun Kotchinian
Sparafucile
Arutjun Kotchinian
Armenian bass Arutjun Kotchinian made his San Diego Opera debut as Jacopo Fiesco in Simon Boccanegra in 2005. As a member of Deutsche Oper Berlin his roles included Ramfis in Aida, Banquo in Macbeth, Oroveso in Norma, Basilio in The Barber of Seville, Zaccaria in Nabucco, Méphistophélès in Faust, Gremin in Eugene Onegin, Wurm in Luisa Miller and Pimen in Boris Godunov. He made his Royal Opera Covent Garden debut as Lodovico in Otello and his La Scala debut as Wurm in Luisa Miller. Other appearances include Leporello in Don Giovanni with Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, Zaccaria in Nabucco and Ramfis in Aida at Los Angeles Opera, Ferrando at the Royal Opera Covent Garden, and the title role of Don Quixote in Trieste.
-
Count Monterone
SCOTT SIKON
Count Monterone
SCOTT SIKON
Since his San Diego Opera debut in 1991 as Superintendent Budd in Albert Herring, American bass-baritone Scott Sikon has sung more than twenty roles here including Schaunard in La bohème, Monterone in Rigoletto, Dikoi in Katya Kabanova, Steve Hubble in A Streetcar Named Desire, Curio in Julius Caesar in Egypt and most recently, Reinmar von Zweter in last season’s Tannhäuser. Appearances in the United States have been with Houston Grand Opera, San Francisco Opera, New York City Opera, Hawaii Opera Theatre and many other companies. His European debut was at the Vienna Volksoper in the premiere of The Number 11 Bus.
-
Borsa
JOSEPH HU
Borsa
JOSEPH HU
Taiwanese tenor Joseph Hu made his San Diego Opera debut as Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor in 1995. His many performances here include Goro in Madama Butterfly, Spoletta in Tosca, the Steersman in The Flying Dutchman, Roderigo in Otello, Pong in Turandot, Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet, Count Lerma in Don Carlo, the Messenger in Samson and Delilah, Ruiz and the Messenger in Il trovatore and most recently Don Curzio in The Marriage of Figaro. Among other companies with which he has sung are The Dallas Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Kentucky Opera, Nashville Opera, Fort Worth Opera and Dayton Opera.
-
Marullo
MALCOLM MACKENZIE
Marullo
MALCOLM MACKENZIE
American baritone Malcolm MacKenzie first performed with San Diego Opera as Marullo in Rigoletto in 2002, a role he reprises for these performances. MacKenzie returned in 2005 as Escamillo in Carmen and last season as Zurga in The Pearl Fishers. He was a finalist in Plácido Domingo’s Operalia competition, and a winner of the Metropolitan Opera Western Regional Auditions. MacKenzie began his professional career in 1994 as Harlequin in Ariadne auf Naxos at Glimmerglass Opera and has since performed with Washington National Opera, Madison Opera, l’Opéra National de Paris, Los Angeles Opera, Michigan Opera Theatre, Opera Santa Barbara, Sacramento Opera, Opera Pacific, and New York City Opera. His roles include Renato in A Masked Ball, Germont in La traviata, Figaro in The Barber of Seville, Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Marcello in La bohème, Jack Rance in La fanciulla del West, and Sharpless in Madama Butterfly. He has also appeared with the San Diego Symphony, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Los Angeles Mozart Orchestra, Pacific Chorale and Savannah Symphony.
-
CONDUCTOR
EDOARDO MÜLLER
CONDUCTOR
EDOARDO MÜLLER
Italian conductor Edoardo Müller is San Diego Opera’s Principal Guest Conductor. He has led more than 30 productions in San Diego since his debut in 1980 with Giovanna d’Arco.Last season he conducted Mary, Queen of Scots and Cavalleria rusticana / Pagliacci. Known worldwide for his mastery of the Italian operatic repertoire, he has enjoyed a long association with the Teatro alla Scala in Milan where he conducted Aida, I due Foscari, Il trovatore, I masnadieri, La forza del destino, Ernani, The Barber of Seville and Anna Bolena, among others. His career has taken him to the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro Municipal in Santiago, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Seattle Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Dallas Opera, Cincinnati Opera as well as companies in Paris, Rome and Tokyo.
-
Director
Lotfi Mansouri
Director
Lotfi Mansouri
A native of Iran, director Lotfi Mansouri is the former General Director of San Francisco Opera and the Canadian Opera and made his San Diego Opera debut in 1973 directing The Daughter of the Regiment. Recent productions here include Cavalleria rusticana / Pagliacci in 2008, Boris Godunov and Samson and Delilah in 2007, The Barber of Seville in 2006, Die Fledermaus and Simon Boccanegra in 2005 along with Don Carlo, Turandot, Otello and Idomeneo in previous seasons. He attended UCLA and took U.S. citizenship before becoming resident stage director at Opernhaus Zürich in 1976. He has directed at many opera houses throughout Italy including Teatro alla Scala, Milan. In North America, his work has been seen at the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera and in Chicago, Houston, Santa Fe, Philadelphia, Dallas and many other cities, and he has a lengthy association with Opera Australia at the Sydney Opera House. Six of his productions have been videotaped for telecast and commerical sale: Mefistofele, Orlando furioso, Capriccio, Turandot, The Dangerous Liaisons and A Streetcar Named Desire.
-
Choreographer
Keturah Stickann
Choreographer
Keturah Stickann
San Diego Opera debut. American choreographer Keturah Stickann was trained as a classical dancer at the State Ballet of Missouri, DanceAspen and the Jacob’s Pillow School. She holds a degree in Choreography from Columbia College Chicago. During her performing career she danced with Danny Grossman and Dancers, Malashock Dance, the Wally Cardona Quartet, Daniel Pelzig, New York City Opera, San Diego Opera, Michigan Opera Theater, Chicago Opera Theater, and was the Associate Artistic Director of Cerulean Dance Theatre. Her work as an opera director and choreographer has taken her to companies around the United States and Europe including New York City Opera, L’Opera National Du Rhin, Glimmerglass Opera, Opera Theatre St. Louis, Dallas Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Florida Grand Opera, Virginia Opera and Opera Pacific.
|