Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto

Giuseppe Verdi is fondly known as the King of Opera (Berger 2000) as well as the greatest Italian musical dramatist (Parker 2003); his works have long been touted as superior to many. As a child the movie Rigoletto appeared in the family video collection and it is that movie that inspired the topic for this paper. After doing some research it is the life of Verdi, the interest of this student has been piqued. It is, however, not the only fascinating fact about this unique composer.

Verdi was born into a middle-class family in Le Roncole, in the Parma region of Italy (Berger 2000). His parents were tavern owners, who engaged in many types of trade to support their family. Quite intriguing, although he was born on 10 October 1813, Verdi celebrated his birthday on 09 October because his mother once told him that was the day he was born. There is a tale that purports that as an infant, his mother hid him and herself in the town's church bell tower to escape the Cossacks during the Napoleonic Wars. The rise and fall of Napoleon left the region in shambles and many Italians impoverished; Verdi often said of his childhood, "It was hard."

Following the Congress of Vienna, Marie Louise, the wife of Napoleon, was given reign over the Duchy of Parma. Her appetite for opera was only overshadowed by her desires for pastries and men (Berger 2000). This interest in opera led to the construction of the Teatro Regio and government supported music in the region.

Around the age of 8 years, Verdi's father bought him a spinet. Verdi studied music at a nearby church and soon became the organist there. During his teens, he studied in Brusseto, where he spent as much time as possible studying music. Soon, Antonio Barezzi, a prosperous grocer, became interested in Verdi's work; urging Verdi's father to enroll him in the Milan Conservatory. Verdi was rejected because of a quota, but stayed in the city to study privately.

Later on he returned to Brusseto where he was initially passed over for the post of maestro de capella, which led to his intense hatred of priests. However, the title was his following a competition held for it in 1836. In May of that year he married Margherita Barezzi, the daughter of his patron.

Verdi soon began writing operas; he endured both success and utter failure in his first few attempts. During this period, some of his songs were published. Following this time, Verdi began what he called his "years in the galley" (Berger 2000). This time period saw many more successes in Ernani, Macbeth, and Louisa Miller; these pieces along with many others featured strong, sombre stories, and a vigorous, almost crude orchestral style. Rigoletto, along two other operas, saw the climax of the period (Parker 2003).

In June of 1840, Margherita died of encephalitis. A couple of years later he began seeing a soprano named Giuseppina Strepponi, with whom he left for Parish with in 1853. There he aided in the translation of his operas as well as to oppose piracy in Italian theatre. Sometime later, he became involved in politics, as a representative of Brusseto, and later a senator (Parker 2003). Meanwhile, he composed several operas, including Don Carlos.

Soon after, Verdi returned to Italy to live in Genoa. He wrote Aida, thought about giving up on opera, and ended up composing Otello (Berger 2000). Following its success he wrote Falstaff, another Shakespearean work and his final opera. After a set of Quatra pezzi sacri, even though he was a non-believer, Verdi moved to Milan to spend his last few years. In January 1901 he died, and an astonishing 200,000 some people turned out for a funeral that was supposed to be for close friends, family and contemporaries. It is said that those who turned out for the event observed in what can only be described as absolute silence (Berger 2000); a fitting way to mourn a legend.

Rigoletto, as stated before, was one of the most notable operas of Verdi's so-called "years in the galley." Berger describes it as "a miracle" (2000). The thrilling opera has captivated audiences the world over, and was a personal favorite of Verdi's as well. "The score can surprise you with its richness and inventiveness after hundreds of hearings" (Berger 2000).

It was based on Le Roi s'amuse, a scandalous play by Victor Hugo. The original was a near perfect recapture of the play, however, sensors outright objected to a hunchback jester as the protagonist and a king who rapes the jester's daughter and who is subsequently murdered onstage. Francesco Piave then assumed the role of mediator between an enraged Verdi and the sensors and a compromise was made. It opened in March 1851 at La Fenice and was an enormous success. In spite of continuing problems with local censors, the opera was performed more than 250 times in its first ten years (Berger 2000). Even now, it remains one of the most frequently performed operas in the international repertory.

Rigoletto is considered by many to be the true beginning of Verdi's maturity (Berger 2000). The opera was of historical merit as well; it was a significant change in operatic composition. There is greater musical continuity and less contrast between the recitatives and the arias. Throughout the play the action is carried out through duets and other ensembles; in the final act a quartet unifies the conflictual characters. These characteristics are evidence of Verdi's excellence in dynamic dramatic works.

The present Rigoletto follows closely with its original composition. However, it is set in the 16^th century, at the ducal palace of Mantua. It begins with a prelude that is continually alluded to throughout the play; it is the theme of a curse; following this operatic composition, preludes became standard in Verdi's plays. Representation of the curse is through two sharp blases from the trumpets and trombones, repeated to a single crescendo of the orchestra; the curtain then rises.

In the first Act the observer is made to know that the ducal court is nothing more than a hotbed for immorality; Verdi demonstrates this with an onstage banda who does most of the musical accompaniment for the scene. The Duke sees a mysterious young lady, whom he wishes to seduce, but he is also drawn to the Countess Ceprano. When the Duke flirts with the Countess, an elegant minuet is played by the banda to reflect the game the two are playing (Berger 2000).

The Duke and Rigoletto reenter to the room after a brief absense. Then, Rigoletto suggests a plan to remove Ceprano from the scene so that the Duke may have the Countess. The proposition insults Ceprano, who immediately draws his sword on Rigoletto. Following this scene, the events that occur are sun in ensemble concertato by the Duke, Rigoletto, Ceprano while the courtiers sing "Si! Vendetta!" (Berger 2000).

When Count Monterone bursts in and sees the goings-on, he accuses the Duke of dishonor and curses both the Duke and Rigoletto. This scene is musically enhanced by the ominous chords of the pit orchestra and the light court music played by the stage banda (Berger 2000). The culmination of this scene is felt when the Count threateningly verbalizes the curse theme.

Later on in the act, Rigoletto proceeds home. On his way, he meets the potential assassin, Sparafucile, who is introduced by the orchestra as two solo cellos, muted bass drums and cello and bass pizzicati. The two of them perform a brief duet, intoned with reminiscence of Monterone's curse (Parker 2004). The duet is performed in a single movement that is similar to that of comic operas, where the bad guy formulates his plot (Berger 2000).

When he finally reaches his house, Rigoletto bursts into the first of his soliloquies, "Pari siamo." This narrative is a demanding piece; it requires a full range of human emotion in a short three minutes (Berger 2000). Further he begins a duet with Gilda; the duet is performed in the standard 19^th century, four movement form (Parker 2004).

When Rigoletto leaves Gilda with Giovanna, Gilda tells Giovanna of the young man from church. Meanwhile, the Duke is listening and breaks in to declare his love, which begins another four movement duet. This duet is far less in comparison with the preceding number but it does include a hectic dialogue movement and a simple 3/8 Andante (Parker 2004). The Duke is joined by Gilda in a highly structured double cadenza and it is finished in a cabaletta.

Left alone, Gilda wonders of her secret lover in the famous aria "Caro nome." The piece begins simple but develops in an unusual manner, one composed of a contrasting series of controlled ornamental variants in contrast to the arias of the previous generation (Parker 2004). Solo woodwind are very important in the orchestration of the scene.

The entire act is brought to a close with the devious abduction of Gilda by Marullo, Ceprano and Borsa, while Rigoletto is blindfolded and believes he is aiding in the abduction of Countess Ceprano. This is a rather ridicules scene, parodic in its very form (Berger 2000). The "Zitti, zitti" of the courtiers is conspiratorial and explosive (Parker 2004); Rigoletto's thoughts climax in a relentless crescendo to his cry of "Il maledizione!" (Berger 2000).

Act two begins with the Duke mourning the loss of Gilda; his recitative, "Ella mi fu rapita," is a vengeful piece. His recitative leads into the aria "Parmi veder le lagrime," which conveys Gilda's beauty and purity (Berger 2000). When the courtiers enter with Gilda, the relief of the Duke is evident; he then beings a cabaletta filled with anticipation and delight. This piece is sometimes cut because it is so very strenuous, many also agree that it is backwards in its melodic line and filled with orchestral brashness.

After the Duke goes to Gilda, Rigoletto enters the room. In an interplay between Rigoletto and a page, Rigoletto reveals that Gilda is his daughter against a background of gathering intensity. "Corteggiani, vil razza," is a whole opera in itself; a piece composed of the complete emotional journey performed in three minutes (Berger 2000). It is unclassifiable in conventional formal terms (Parker 2004).

The second act ends when Gilda is finally released and returns to her father; she embraces him furiously. They begin another four movement duet which shows her change into the woman she has now become. The voice used in this piece is much different than "Caro nome," because of Gilda's prior exchange with the Duke. The final movement of the duet is regarded as a perfect finale to one of the finest acts in opera (Berger 2000).

The third act begins with an orchestra prelude, in Verdi's severe, "academic" vein (Parker 2004). Here, Rigoletto asks Gilda if she loves the Duke, hearing her answer, "always," Rigoletto swears to show her his true demeanor. He urges her to look through a hole in Sparafucile's wall to see the Duke order wine and Sparafucile's sister, while singing the well-known "La donna è mobile." Seeing this, Gilda is filled with sorrow; Rigoletto vows revenge.

Rigoletto goes to Sparafucile and they agree upon a plan for the assassination of the Duke; their exchange is characterized by short bursts from the orchestra. Shortly after Rigoletto leaves, Maddalena, Sparafucile's sister, begs Sparafucile not to murder the Duke; he agrees that if there is opportunity, he will not murder the Duke. Gilda, hearing this, decides she will sacrifice herself; her decision is marked by a trio, charachterized by a rhythmic drive (Parker 2004). She enters the house and the door closes ominously.

In the final scene the storm is waning and Rigoletto approaches the tavern once again. He is presented with the body, wrapped in a large bag. Following this, he goes about preparing to dump the body in the river (Berger 2000). He thinks that the body is the Duke's but, alas, he hears the Duke once again singing "La donna è mobile." Horrified, he opens the sack to find Gilda in her last dying moments. They sing one final duet, "V'ho ingannato!" briefly and then she is gone. She is welcomed to heaven with the flute arpeggios and Rigoletto is left to recount the curse one last time (Parker 2004).

Literature Cited

Berger, William. Verdi with a Vengeance. Random House, New York: 2000.

Parker, Roger. "Rigoletto." Grove Music Online. Ed. L. Macy. 16 Mar 2004. .