History of Show

HISTORY OF THE SHOW

Based upon Victor Hugo’s play Le Roi S’amuse or ‘The King Amuses Himself’, Verdi’s Rigoletto gives focus to the cruel intentions of members of the court, namely the lascivious Duke of Mantua, his lowly, hunchback jester Rigoletto, and Gilda, the naive and and beautiful daughter of Rigoletto. We see the fates of these three characters in particular intertwined throughout the opera, with the ending of this story offering only a slight arc of redemption which is overshadowed by the ill-fated tragedy and conclusion. Rigoletto challenges viewers to perceive what is morally right and wrong, especially when considering the climax and conclusion of the story. While one corrupt character receives punishment for his deeds, this comes at the price of an innocent person’s life. Furthermore, other arguably corrupt characters seemingly endure no consequences for their devious actions by the end of the story. To understand the opera, one must reference the journey of both the composer as well the play that inspired this dark tale.

Premiering in November of 1832, Le Roi S’amuse’s story centers around an unrelenting King and his wicked treatment of his own courtiers, with particular cruelty being directed towards his court jester. This play was written as a direct depiction of Francis the I of France (1494 - 1547) and the relationship he maintained with his own jester at that time, Triboulet.

Although passionate and direct, the play was meant to be a historical fiction, especially considering the fact that several Kings had already taken the throne of France since Francis the I. However, members of the French government were not pleased with the portrayal, considering it a slight against the current and (soon to be final) monarch of France, Louis Phillipe I. The political climate of the time was quickly shifting, and the Revolutionary Wars had seen one of their more infamous kings (Louis XVI) deposed and beheaded. France was currently established as a constitutional monarchy, but this did not quell the tensions between the different classes at that time. Consequently, the government was particularly sensitive to any depictions or declarations that could be perceived as critical of their efforts.

As a result of the portrayals depicted in the play of a cruel ruler abusing both his power as well as his subjects, Hugo’s play was banned after only one performance. This outraged Hugo as only two years before censorship had been eradicated, and thus he openly protested the suppression of his work. Hugo would go on to pursue litigation by suing the Théâtre Français, sparking an intense debate about freedom of speech in France. His fight for the rights of the public voice would lead to a spike in popularity and creating somewhat of a celebrity status for Hugo. Unfortunately, despite his efforts and public support Hugo would lose this legal battle and his play would ultimately be banned for another 50 years. Although his play would not see the stage again in his lifetime, it was widely popular in print and eventually caught the eye of composer Giusseppe Verdi as well. By this point in his career, Verdi was a well-established composer and had reached what we know as his ‘middle period’, maintaining three incredibly successful and beloved operas during this time: Rigoletto, Il trovatore, and La Traviata. Before he discovered the play that would inspire one of his arguably most popular operas, Verdi stressed to librettist Francesco Maria Piave (who had worked with him on such titles as Ernani and Macbeth) that he was looking for something much more dynamic and dramatic than his previous works. Due to his popularity, Verdi also maintained much more freedom at this point in his career and thus could be more selective about the works he composed. Upon discovery of Hugo’s play, both Verdi and Piave were keenly aware of the obstacles they would be facing due to the social and political sentiments in their own country. Sure enough, Austrian censors were also vehemently against the portrayal of a lecherous monarch abusing his authority to undermine and exploit his subjects. This would lead to extensive correspondence between the composer and government liaisons in an attempt to find a balance that both parties would deem acceptable. For a tense period, there was speculation that the entire project would be banned altogether. Verdi and Piave were continuously working on the project, with the initial title being La maledizione or The Curse. Although they had misjudged the amount of pushback they would receive from Austrian

censors, correspondence continued. Both men expressed their opinion that concerns about the lack of morality in the opera were unfounded and stressed the fact that time was running short. Fortunately, Verdi would ultimately prevail in his production of the opera, but not without some distinct changes he deemed acceptable in order to properly portray the story he had in mind. Initial suggestions for modification were thrown out by Verdi, and if not for the efforts of Piave the final product may never have come to fruition. This resulted in some distinct variations from the original story in the play, most of which were applied in order to satisfy the censors' worries about social backlash and consequence. Verdi’s Rigoletto would now be set in Mantua, with the King now portrayed as a Duke of the House of Gonzaga. This quelled issues of any sort of relation to a current monarchy, as the House of Gonzaga as well as the Dukedom in Mantua had both been eradicated for some time. Further changes included the omission of the sovereign in question making a scandalous tour of Gilda’s bedroom; he would also now be duped into visiting the tavern in the final scene of the opera rather than independently choosing to go there on his own. Finally, due to the change in location and time period, it was clear that Verdi could no longer keep the name of the jester Triboulet for whom the opera was inspired. He instead settled on the title of Rigoletto which was a parody from another play by Victor Hugo, Rigoletti, ou Le dernier des fous or Rigoletto, The Last of the Fools. Some of these changes came less than two months before the premier, and some of the singers were even given additional parts to learn only a month prior. In the end, several precautions were taken before the first performance could take place.

Verdi was rightfully certain that he had a true masterpiece in his hands, and was incredibly secretive about certain aspects of his work throughout the process. Worrying about unaccredited copies being produced, Verdi instructed complete confidentiality to all involved with the music of the opera. He even warned his lead tenor Raffaele Mirate to never sing or even hum the tune of the now popular La donna e mobile outside of rehearsal, as he was certain this number would by

far become the most popular piece in the production. Although critics were unforgiving of the opera’s seeming lack of morals, audiences were thrilled with what they heard. Performances continued, with Rigoletto becoming Verdi’s most successful Italian opera at that time since Macbeth. It would become a standard repertoire piece in many opera houses, and by the 1850s had spread across Italy to other parts of Europe, eventually having its first premier in the U.S. on February 19, 1855 at New York’s Academy of Music. Rigoletto stands the test of time as one of the Top 10 operas performed around the globe and for good reason. Not only the music but the rich history of the piece and the questions the overlapping storylines give audience members are all a part of why this opera has become such a beloved work. We see ourselves in the characters, we question what we feel and how we might react if placed in a similar circumstance. We are left to ask ourselves what is right and wrong, with the haunting conclusion giving no set answer to satisfy those questions. Verdi and Piave’s fight to bring this piece to the stage can be argued as one of their greatest triumphs, and a true victory for the world of opera as well as the debates of censorship and freedom of speech.