Rigoletto

Rigoletto was made upon the novel The King Takes His Amusement by Victor Hugo, inspired by the French king Fran ois I. The libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave, and Verdi was attracted by the character of the despised court jester, a hunchback, a man filled with deep hatred, love and pain. The tragic destiny of a father and a daughter, Rigoletto and Gilda, is presented in an exceptionally emotional way and deeply inspired by the composer’s personal tragedy. Verdy understood that the motif of malediction is the basic message of the drama and named his opera La Maledizione. It was censored because of its repulsive wickedness and obscene triviality. The split personality of the main character, who is exceptionally deformed and absurd, but passionate and full of love in the inside, as Verdi described him, is the starting point for the polarization of the music language which gives Rigoletto an almost Shakespearean expressive range, despite its simple orchestration. Formally, however, Rigoletto represents the most radical break with the conventions of the opera ottocento. It is deprived of the usual recitatives and the group finales, while the quartet from Act III is one of Verdi’s greatest achievements. Rigoletto had its worldpremiere in Venice in 1851, and our audience saw it for the first time as early as 1873. This last staging directed by Krešimir Dolenčić was premiered in 2005.