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Tri-Cities Opera’s first mainstage opera of the 2014-2015 season of REVENGE… REVELRY… REDEMPTION! is Giuseppe Verdi’s breakthrough masterpiece RIGOLETTO.
Father loves daughter…
Daughter loves Duke…
Duke loves…
Everyone woman that breathes…
Enter the ASSASSIN!
How will it all end???
NBT Bank
Performances will take place on October 24 & 26, 2014, at 8:00PM and 3:00PM respectively
Author: Giuseppe Verdi
Time: 16th Century
Place: Mantua, Italy
Act I
Strolling among the courtiers in his palace ballroom, the Duke of Mantua boasts of his success with women. After dancing with his newest interest, Countess Ceprano, he escorts her from the room, as his hunchbacked jester, Rigoletto, mocks the Countess’ enraged but helpless husband. A courtier named Marullo bursts in with the latest gossip: Rigoletto is keeping a young mistress in his home. The jester shortly returns with the Duke, and sure of his master’s protection, continues to taunt Ceprano, who plots with the others to punish him. When Monterone, an elderly nobleman, forces his way into the room to denounce the Duke for seducing his daughter, he is viciously ridiculed by Rigoletto. As Monterone is arrested, he pronounces a father’s curse on both the Duke and the jester, who cowers in terror.
Late that night, brooding over Monterone’s curse, Rigoletto hurries to the house where he keeps his daughter, Gilda, in seclusion. On the way, he encounters Sparafucile, a professional assassin, who offers his services. The jester dismisses him, reflecting that his own tongue is as sharp as the murderer’s dagger. The mood brightens when he is greeted by Gilda, who questions him about their background. He nostalgically describes his wife, an angel, adding that Gilda is all he has left. A noise at the gate prompts him to enter the street and the Duke slips into the garden unseen. When Rigoletto leaves, the Duke declares his love for Gilda, who secretly admired him at church, and tells her he is “Gaultier Malde”, a poor student. At the sound of footsteps, Gilda begs him to leave; alone she tenderly repeats his name and then goes up to bed. Meanwhile, the malicious courtiers stop Rigoletto outside and ask him to help abduct Ceprano’s wife, who lives nearby. The jester is duped into wearing a blindfold and holding a ladder against his own garden wall. Laughing at how they have tricked him, the courtiers break into his house and carry off Gilda. Rigoletto, upon hearing his daughter’s cry for help, rushes into the house, and remembers Monterone’s curse.
Act II
In his palace, the Duke is distraught over the kidnapping of Gilda. When his courtiers return saying it is they who took her and that she is now in his chamber, he is overjoyed and rushes off the conquest. Soon Rigoletto enters, searching for Gilda. Though the courtiers are astonished to learn that she is his daughter, not his mistress, they bar his way. He lashes out at their cruelty ending his tirade with a plea for mercy. When Gilda appears, disheveled in her nightdress, she runs in shame to her father, who orders the others to leave. Alone with Rigoletto, she tells of the Duke’s courtship, then of her abduction. Monterone is led past still cursing the Duke, and the jester swears revenge, despite Gilda’s pleading for forgiveness.
Act III
On a dark night, Rigoletto and Gilda wait outside the lonely inn where Sparafucile and his sister Maddalena live. Gilda watches in disbelief while the Duke, in disguise and laughing at the fickleness of women, makes advances to Maddalena. Rigoletto comforts his daughter as Maddalena leads the Duke on. Telling Gilda to dress as a boy, the jester sends her off to Verona, and then pays Sparafucile to murder the Duke and leaves. As a storm gathers, Gilda returns to hear Maddalena urge her brother to spare the handsome stranger and kill Rigoletto instead. Sparafucile at first refuses, but at length agrees to substitute the next person who comes to the inn. Gilda, resolved to sacrifice herself for the Duke even though he has betrayed her, knocks at the door and is stabbed. When the storm subsides, Rigoletto returns to claim the Dukes body and gloats over the sack Sparafucile gives him – only to hear his supposed victim singing in the distance. Frantically opening the sack, he finds his daughter, who dies asking his forgiveness. Rigoletto cries out that the curse has been fulfilled.
Guido Lebron
Christopher Trapani
Meroe Adeeb
Jenny Gac
Jake Stamatis
Codyray Caho
Tom Goodheart
Brandon Coleman
Jordan Schreiner
Lindsay Brown
Stacey Geyer
Meaghan Heath
Andrew Bisantz
David Lefkowich
315 Clinton Street
Binghamton, New York 13905
Phone: (607) 729-3444
Box Office: (607) 772-0400
We recognize the indigenous peoples whose land Tri-Cities Opera’s facilities were built on. This land has been sustainably stewarded throughout generations by Haudenosaunee and Algonkian speaking peoples. We honor and respect the enduring relationship that exists between these peoples and nations and this land.
Tri-Cities Opera is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Productions are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. General Operating Support is provided to Tri-Cities Opera by grants from the Conrad and Virginia Klee Foundation, the United Cultural Fund of the Broome County Arts Council, and the Community Foundation for South Central New York.
