Verdis Rigoletto 00 Burg u of t

8/13/2019 Verdis Rigoletto 00 Burg u of t

1/68

II-OvJ

= 00

Burgess, FrancisVerdi f s Rigoletto

410


2/68


3/68


4/68


5/68

IGHTS AT THE OPE>111 -^

VERDI'SRIGOLETTOBy Francis Burgess

(F.S.J., Scot.)


6/68


7/68


8/68


9/68

ir.


10/68

HTS AT 1


11/68

N I G H


12/68


13/68


14/68


15/68


16/68


17/68

NIGHTS AT THE

OPERAVERDI'SRIGOLETTOFrancis ^Burgess

(F.S.4., Scot.)

MCMVIALEXANDER MORING LTD. THEDE LA MORE PRESS 32 GEORGESTREET HANOVER SQUARE W.


18/68

R42G43

;*


19/68

CONTENTSi. Verdi, the Patriot PAGE 7

ii. The Story of the Opera 15in. The Production of the Opera 2 1iv. Characters represented 25v. Music and

Story side-by-side 27


20/68


21/68

I. VERDI, THE PATRIOT.

IT is interesting to remember thatVerdi, in later life the idol of Italy,was, as a young man, refused admissionto the Milan Conservatoire. Throughthe influence of his early patron, AntonioBarezzi, the young musician had obtaineda grant of 600 lire a year for two yearsin order that he might pursue his studiesin Italy's chief musical centre. Verdiapplied for admission to the Conserva-toire as a paying pupil, and went throughan informal examination at the hands ofsome of its professors, producing hiscompositions and playing a piece on thepiano. He was rejected, and recom-mended to choose a master unconnected


22/68

Verdi'swith the institution. Verdi, himself,writing of the incident in 1880 knewnothing of the reasons which promptedthis extraordinary action of the Conserva-toire authorities. It resulted in Lavignabecoming Verdi's master, and there canbe no doubt as to the benefit which theyoung and impressionable genius derivedfrom his intercourse with the older com-poser.

Verdi's next conflict with the powersthat be occurred after the death ofFerdinando Provesi, organist at BussetoCathedral. Provesi, who formerly hadbeen Verdi's instructor, was a man ofsome power, and it had been understoodthat his young pupil was to succeed tohis post. Indeed, it was on this under-standing that the local Monte di Pietdhad given Verdi the necessary money forthe furtherance of his studies at Milan.

8


23/68

RigolettoAt Provesi's death, therefore, Verdi wascalled back to Busseto, but, to the aston-ishment of everybody, the cathedralauthorities appointed one Giovanni Fer-rari, passing over Verdi on account ofhis having studied stage music. Thecontroversy which ensued attained con-siderable proportions. The local phil-harmonic society refused to continue. togive their help at the cathedral services.

They even broke into the church andforcibly removed the scores which be-longed to them, and finally they securedVerdi's appointment as organist at aFranciscan chapel whose musical attrac-tions speedily eclipsed those of the cathe-dral.

Verdi's return to Milan took place in1838,

and was soon followed by the greattragedy of the young composer's life.His wife (whom he had married in 1 836)

9


24/68

Verdi'sand his two young children died withina space of two months and he was leftalone in the world. Grief paralysed hisefforts for a time, but in 1842 he pro-duced Nabucco in Milan, and this wasthe starting-point of his success as anoperatic composer. With ILombardi aliaprima crociata Verdi's political troublesbegan. Signor Visetti, in his recentlypublished booklet on the composer, tellsus that during the more active periodof Verdi's working life the political situa-tion of Italy was one of most acute ten-sion. His advent at this stage of affairshad a

very far-reaching effect,and it maybe truly said that his music was charged

with a burning patriotism that did moreto fan the embers of revolution than thatof any other writer. ILombardi broughtVerdi into direct conflict with the authori-ties. Before its actual production the

10


25/68

RigolettoArchbishop of Milan communicated withTorresani (the chief of police), denounc-ing the libretto as profane and irreverentand threatening to communicate directlywith the Austrian Emperor unless theperformance was vetoed. Merelli, theimpresario, and Solera, the writer of thelibretto, were thereupon summoned toappear before Torresani. Verdi also wassummoned, but refused to appear or toalter his work. However, Merelli andSolera managed so to impress Torresaniwith the greatness of the opera that thechief of police consented to its perform-ance with some trifling alterations in thetext. Naturally, the work had an en-thusiastic reception, and the patrioticMilanese went wild over the chorus,O Signorey dal tetto natio^ which had tobe repeated over and over again.

Similar difficulties arose over theii


26/68

Verdi'sproduction of Rigoletto at Venice in1851, and again in connection with UnBallo in Maschera. The last-named operawas originally called Gustavo III., butOrsini had made an attempt on the lifeof Napoleon III. a short time before, andthe police ordered Verdi to change thetitle and to alter the words of the opera.Verdi refused, of course, and the workwas interdicted. The people of Naples,where the opera was to have been pro-duced, were furious at the action of theauthorities. A demonstration of publicfeeling was made and cries of VivaVerdi were constantly to be heard inthe streets. A compromise eventuallywas effected by which the title and thenames of the characters were altered andthe work was produced in Rome underthe title by which it is now known.

After the War of Liberation, Verdi12


27/68

Rigolettowas, of course, a popular idol in UnitedItaly, and in his later years decorations andhonours were freely showered upon him.He was elected a member of the ItalianParliament to represent Busseto, hisnative place, but he soon resigned. In1875 the King of Italy made him aSenator, but he never attended a sitting.

After his death in January, 1901, theGovernment proposed to accord him aState funeral, but it was found that hehad left directions for his burial to becarried out in the simplest manner pos-sible, without flowers or music. Hisbody now lies in the chapel of the Houseof Rest for Musicians which hefounded during his life-time, and

to which he had bequeathedthe bulk of his

estate.


28/68


29/68

II. THE STORY OF THE OPERA.

PIAVE, the author of the libretto,has founded hisstory upon VictorHugo's Le Roi s'amuse. Origin-

ally it was intended to retain the characterof Francois I., the Italian title being LaMaledizione. The authorities

objectedto

this scheme as being likely to engenderrevolutionary feelings, and eventuallythe King was changed into a Duke, thetitle being altered to Rigoletto^ althoughthe dramatic construction remained thesame.The hero, who gives his name to

the opera, is a crooked and hump-backedjester in the service of the Duke ofMantua. Rigoletto's mind is as stunted


30/68

Verdi'sand warped as his body, and he is knownas a pamperer of the licentious tastes ofhis master. Through his connivance theDuke has destroyed the domestic hap-piness of two noblemen of the court,Count Ceprano and Count Monterone.Both have vowed to be revenged, andte Count of Monterone has openlyaccused the Duke of ruining his daugh-ter. Being condemned to prison forthis statement he solemnly pronouncesthe curse of heaven upon the mis-creants master and man. Rigoletto,terrified by this imprecation, retiresto the house where his daughter livesin seclusion. Anxious for the well-being of Gilda, Rigoletto keeps her exist-ence a secret from the world, and shelives in close confinement, leaving thehouse but once in each week in order toattend church. The Duke of Mantua

16


31/68

Rigolettohas, however, noticed her beauty on see-ing her at her devotions and, disguisedas a student, he manages to declare hislove.

Meanwhile, Count Ceprano has dis-covered Rigoletto's secret visits to Gildaand, as the house in which she is con-fined is next door to his own, he inventsa plan to punish the jester. A band ofhis followers pretend that they are aboutto abduct the Countess Ceprano, and,securing Rigoletto's assistance, they causehim while blindfolded to hold a ladderagainst his own house while they reallysecure possession of Gilda. As soon asthey have obtained their prize and aregone Rigoletto unties the bandage fromhis eyes, only to discover that he hasassisted in accomplishing the dishonourof his own daughter.The wretched jester conspires to kill

17


32/68

Verdi'sthe Duke, and for this purpose hires anassassin, named Sparafucile, who is to dothe deed with the help of Maddalena hissister. Maddalena allures the Duke to asecluded inn, but there he so charms herwith his manners, that she determinesto betray the jester's purpose, and tosave the Duke from the danger whichthreatens him. While this is going onRigoletto

causes hisdaughter

to donman's clothes before departing to Verona,and leads Gilda to the inn where theDuke is paying court to Maddalena,that she may see how faithless her loveris. As Gilda is in hiding outside theinn she overhears Maddalena pleadingwith Sparafucile to spare the Duke's life.The assassin declares that the compacthe has entered into with Rigoletto mustbe kept or that, at all events, a substi-tute must be found for the Duke. Gilda,

18


33/68

Rigolettoin her intense love for the man who hasdishonoured her, determines to savethe Duke's life by the sacrifice of herown, and entering the inn is stabbedto the heart by Sparafucile, her bodybeing placed in a sack. Rigoletto re-turns to enquire how the plot has fared,and on paying the sum of money ar-ranged is handed the sack. As he isexulting over the death of his master andthe avenging of his daughter's shame,he hears the Duke's voice from behind.Filled with horror he opens the sack,and finds the body of his dying daughter.

In an agony of grief and despair hefalls down by her side, and

on this scene thecurtainfalls.


34/68


35/68

III. THE PRODUCTION OF THE OPERA. O IGOLETTO is the seventeenthAV (in order of production) ofVerdi's twenty-nine operas. It comesimmediately before // Trovatore and LaTraviata, and marks the beginning ofthe composer's second period.The political difficulties which attendedits production have already been relatedin Chapter II. The opera as altered wasproduced at the Teatro Fenice at Veniceon March nth, 1851. The enthusiasmwith which it was received was remark-able. It was a much finer work than anywhich Verdi hitherto had accomplished.Signor Visetti relates an interestingincident connected with the production

21


36/68

Verdi'sof Rigoletto. The composer wasaware that the melody La Donna e mobile(see page 39) if heard before the firstperformance would be all over Venice ina few hours. Great precautions there-fore were taken to prevent the tuneleaking out. It was divulged to thet^aor soloist, Mirate, only two daysbefore the production, and then only oncondition that he kept the melody aprofound secret, not even humming thenotes outside his own house.

Rigoletto was first performed atCovent Garden in May of 1853. TheIllustrated London News of May 2ist ofthat year thus criticises it :We have never been the champions or

detractors of Verdi, but we recognise inRigoletto a higher order of beauty than struckus even in Ernanl and / due Foscari, and anabandonment of his most palpable defects.Rigoletto cannot be ranked, however, as a

22


37/68

Rigolettomasterpiece. It is full of plagiarisms andfaults, but yet abounds with the most capti-vating music.

On January I9th, 1857, Rigolettowas produced at the Theatre des Italiens,Paris. For over fifty years the operahas held a recognised place in the affec-tions of opera-goers.The vocal score of the opera is pub-lished by Messrs. Ricordi and Co., andis also included in Messrs. Novello'soctavo edition, with an English transla-tion by Lady Macfarren, upon whichthe present writer has drawn in the illus-trations in Chapter V. Rigoletto is

also included in Messrs. Booseyand Co.'s RoyalEdition of

operas.


38/68


39/68

IV. CHARACTERS REPRESENTEDIN THE OPERA.

THE DUKE OF MANTUA (tenor).RIGOLETTO, his jester, (baritone).SPARAFUCILE (bass).COUNT MONTERONE (baritone).

Courtgentle-men.

MARULLO (baritone)BORSA (tenor).COUNT CEPRANO (bass)GILDA, daughter of Rigoletto (soprano*).GIOVANNA, her nurse (mezzo-soprano).MADDALENA, sister of Sparafucile

(contralto).COUNTESS CEPRANO (mezzo-soprano).

25


40/68


41/68

V. Music AND STORY SIDE-BY-SIDE.

FIRST ACT.The Prelude opens with a bold uni-

son passage for the orchestral brass,relieved at once by a soft phrase in whichthe wood-wind is heard. The stringsthen commence a similar figure pianis-simo, which gradually works up into atremendous tutti climax, fitly preparingthe audience for the splendour of thescene upon which the curtain now rises

an apartment in the ducal palaceopening out into further rooms, allbrilliantly lighted, in one of which aband is heard playing a sprightly air.Guests and pages are seen passing andrepassing, while dancing takes place in

27


42/68


43/68

Rigolettoin which the Duke boasts of his manyamorous adventures. While a minuetis being danced by some of the courtiersthe Duke leads forward the CountessCeprano, who tells him of her impend-ing departure.

Thegallant reproachesher for her cruelty, and confesses his

love while she bids him calm his passion.As he leads her away Rigoletto, theDuke's jester, asks Count Ceprano whatit is that disturbs him, and as theCount with a gesture of impatiencefollows his wife the courtiers make amockery of the Duke's infatuation.

While the dancing continues Marullo,another gentleman of the court, enters,and tells his friends that Rigoletto, thehunch-backed jester, is himself a lover,referring to his secret visits to Gilda.While those assembled are laughing atthe thought the Duke enters, followed

29


44/68

Verdi'sby Rigoletto, whom he is consulting asto the best means of ridding himself ofCount Ceprano, he being enraged at theattention which the Duke is showingthe Countess. The scene works up intoa brawl, and concludes with a fine chorusin which all the dancers take part, theprincipal theme of which commences,

Pleasure calls us beaujby beck_ons Seize theTut -to e gio-ja, tut. toe fe. sta Tut. torn.$m


45/68

Rigolettoderide Monterone with the chorus

A - way, thou au - da-cious dis.Oh tu che la fe . sta au.'^=B^-turb - er of plea-sure. In so - li-tudeda~ce faitur ba . to,Daun.ge.nio din-curse and re -vile at th-y lei. sure,fer. no qui fo - sti qui .da. to;

the superstitious Rigoletto is horror-stricken at the curse which has beenpronounced upon him.

In the next scene the jester's house isvisible, and adjoining it is a part of thepalace of Count Ceprano. Rigolettoenters brooding over the curse, whileSparafucile, enveloped in a cloak andcarrying a sword, is seen following at adistance. The bravo draws nearer, andoffers his services to the jester, who,however, dismisses him for the present

3 1


46/68

Verdi'sand continues to ruminate upon his lot.He enters the courtyard of his house,and Gilda, his daughter, meets him andthrows herself into his arms. In an im-passioned duet which follows the maidenasks why she is kept so rigidly in se-clusion, and her father explains that hehas many enemies. The jester chargesGiovanna (her nurse) to keep watch overher, in a beautiful melody commencing:m

Ah watch, I pray_thee o'er thisAh veg.lia,o don . na que _ sto

flow . er, In its in - - no.cencecon.fto. - re che a te pu . . ro con.ft.

. fi . - ded to thy truth by hea.venda . . t; Veglia at. ten . ta>e non sia

gui - ded dothou guard it evLer. more.ma . i Che flof.fu . schi itsuo can . tior.32


47/68

Rigolettowhich is succeeded by an equally beauti-ful melody sung by Gilda :

iOh,my fa . ther, howthou lov'st me,Why these

QuanJoaffet . to qua,li cu - re Che te.

ten . rors that ap - pall thee?Nought of. me - te, /;_ rfirv mi - o? Las, sit inmt- . vil can be - 'fall me,Whom anue^ louvres - so Di . o,Veglia un

gel watch-es o'er.. tet . /


48/68

Verdi'sleads into the following air :

F I T CTlSun of the soul a di .ISil sol dell9 a . nt - ma.

g_vine in . spi . ra . tion, Is love, thatla vita e a . ^o . re, Sua vo . c^


49/68

Rigoletto

my in -arv'd up . on my in - most

-^XNJJheart, Is that name for ev . er . more.cor Fe-sti prz - mo pal . pi . tar.

during which the stage gradually fillswith courtiers, headed by Borsa andCount Ceprano, who have come to carryoff Gilda out of revenge for the manywrongs which Rigoletto has done them.The jester himself comes upon the scene,and is persuaded by Marullo to assistin abducting, as he thinks, the Coun-tess Ceprano. The ruse succeeds, andRigoletto consents to be blindfolded andto hold the ladder for the courtiers, whoascend, not into the palace of CountCeprano, but into the jester's own house.They secure Gilda and carry her off.

35


50/68

Verdi'sRigoletto upon undoing the bandagefinds his daughter's scarf, which hasbeen dropped in the confusion. Terror-stricken he rushes into the house, onlyto discover that he has assisted in achiev-ing his own daughter's ruin.

SECOND ACT.The scene opens in the Duke's palace,

where its master is found lamenting theloss of Gilda. He gives vent to histhoughts in the air,

$ &Art thou weeping in lone.li -ness, Des-Par.mi ve.der le la. grime, SCOT.T H-IT-I-T-pair . ing and an. friend, ed.- ren * ^f tf ^c/e/ Ci. glio

at the end of which Marullo and the36


51/68

Rigolettoother courtiers enter and relate theirstrange adventure. The Duke appearsto them strangely excited over the inci-dent, and eventually leaves them.

Rigoletto then enters, affecting to beindifferent to what has happened. Whenhe learns that his daughter is now inthe palace and that the Duke is withher, his feigned indifference turns toopen madness, and he implores thenobles to allow him to go to her. Sud-denly Gilda rushes from the room inwhich she has been concealed, and throwsherself into her father's arms.He now learns the whole story ofthe Duke's wooing in the guise of apoor scholar, and how it has led to hisdaughter's undoing. The enraged fatherstanding ^before a portrait of the Duke,solemnly vows to| be avenged, in theair:

37


52/68

Verdi'sv . *

Yes, my ven - geanceSt, ven . . det . ta tre.

fierce hath doom'd thee.. da ven .


53/68

Rigolettoside the inn where a fissure in the wallexposes the interior. The Duke, dis-guised as a cavalry officer, enters thehouse and demands to be accommodatedwith a room and some wine. He sitsdown,singing awayward ditty ofwoman'sinconstancy, commencing :

*iE t c I* rjPlume in the siim-mer wind

jLa don . n& mo - bi' - le

p giCff IE F fWayward -ly play -ing, Ner onewayQual piujna, al ven - to, Mu - ta dac

fsway -ing, Each whim o . bey- ing.cen - /


54/68

Verdi'sSparafucile goes to consult Rigolettoas to the mode of the assassination.While the Duke is making love toMaddalena, Gilda and her father arewatching, and at last the wretched girlrealises that she is the victim of a heart-less lover. The scene ends with a finequartet taken by Gilda, Maddalena, theDuke, and Rigoletto. The jester nowbids his daughter depart to Verona, andhe and Sparafucile make arrangementsfor the Duke's assassination. Mean-while, their intended victim continuesto make love to Maddalena, who isso far impressed by him that she desiresto save him from his impending fate.The Duke retires to his chamber andsleeps, while Gilda returns to the scenedisguised as a man. She overhears theconversation between the assassin and hissister, in which Maddalena attempts to

40


55/68

Rigolettodissuade Sparafucile from his murderouspurpose. He at last consents to permita substitute for the Duke to be killedshould some stranger arrive, and on over-hearing this Gilda, anxious to save herfaithless lover, knocks at the inn andasks for shelter. A great storm nowtakes place, and as its violence abatesRigoletto returns to the inn. As mid-night strikes he knocks at the doorand Sparafucile drags out a sack, inreturn for which the jester hands overthe money agreed upon. As he is re-joicing

over his fallen foe he hears theDuke's voice, and upon examining thesack he discovers therein the dying formof his own daughter. Gilda mustersenough strength to tell him that she hassacrificed herself to save the life of theDuke, and then dies, killed throughthe plots of her father. The wretched


56/68

Verdi's RigolettoRigoletto, as he falls senseless beside

the dead body of hischild, ex-

claims,Ah y la Maledizione

42


57/68

Nights at the OperaA series of hand-books for the music-lover, the object ofwhich is to reproduce in an attractive form an analysis ofthe music, and a running commentary on the dramaticelement in the opera to which it is devoted.

Nos. I to 6 can be supplied bound as OneVolume, in red cloth gilt, 5/- net- Nos. 5 and 6,dealing with the Ring, can also be supplied bound,as One Volume, in cloth, 1/6 net.

BY WAKELING DRY1. LOHENGRIN2. TANNHAUSER3. TRISTRAN & ISOLDE4. MEISTERSINGER5. RHEINGOLD & WALKURE6. SIEGFRIED & GOTTERDAMMERUNG

12. THE FLYING DUTCHMANBY FRANCIS BURGESS

F.S.A., Scot.

7. CARMEN 10. IL TROVATORE8. FAUST ii. RIGOLETTO9. DON GIOVANNI 13. AEDA

ALEXANDER MORING LTD. THE DELA MORE PRESS 32 GEORGE STREETHANOVER SQUARE LONDON W.


58/68


59/68

PRINTED BY ALEXANDER MORING LTD.AT THE DE LA MORE PRESS 32 GEORGESTREET HANOVER SQUARE LONDON W.


60/68


61/68


62/68

NIGHTS AT THE OPER


63/68


64/68


65/68


66/68


67/68

r Burgess, Francis410 Verdi's RigolettoV4B87MUM

PLEASE DO NOT REMOVECARDS OR SLIPS FROM THIS POCKETUNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY


68/68

Documents

Verdis Rigoletto 00 Burg u of t