by usia review

Verdi’s Rigoletto: The Curse Fulfilled at the Lisbon Coliseum

Giuseppe Verdi composed Rigoletto to a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on Victor Hugo’s controversial drama Le Roi s’amuse. Originally titled La Maledizione (“The Curse”), the opera is set in 16th-century Mantua and stands as one of Verdi’s most powerful and revolutionary works, marking a decisive turn toward psychological drama in Italian opera.

The Drama

Act I opens at the court of the Duke of Mantua, where the libertine ruler boasts to his courtiers of his latest conquest—a young woman he has seen in church. The hunchbacked jester Rigoletto appears, mocking the courtiers with biting sarcasm. Suddenly, Count Monterone storms in, denouncing the Duke for dishonoring his daughter and hurling a terrible curse upon him and his jester. Later, the assassin Sparafucile offers his murderous services to Rigoletto.

Meanwhile, the Duke disguises himself as a poor student and visits Gilda, Rigoletto’s sheltered daughter, under the watch of her nurse Giovanna. Deceived by the courtiers, who believe Gilda to be Rigoletto’s mistress rather than his daughter, Rigoletto becomes increasingly haunted by Monterone’s curse.

Act II reveals that the courtiers have kidnapped Gilda and brought her to the palace as a supposed lover of the jester. When Rigoletto discovers the truth, he despairs. Gilda appears in tears, confessing that she was deceived and seduced by the Duke—yet she is deeply in love with him. Despite her suffering, she pleads for mercy.

Act III unfolds at the inn of Sparafucile. Maddalena, the assassin’s sister, becomes infatuated with the Duke, while Gilda, disguised as a man, witnesses his faithlessness. Maddalena begs her brother to spare the Duke’s life and kill another instead. Gilda knocks at the door and is fatally stabbed in his place. At midnight, Sparafucile delivers a sack to Rigoletto. Hearing the Duke’s voice singing “La donna è mobile”, Rigoletto opens the sack in horror and discovers Gilda, dying. The curse is fulfilled as he collapses over his daughter’s body.

Musical and Vocal Considerations

Verdi’s genius in Rigoletto lies in his use of melodically charged recitative and seamless dramatic flow. So powerful was the Duke’s aria “La donna è mobile” that Verdi insisted it be kept strictly secret before the premiere—a precaution fully justified, as the melody became instantly famous and remains universally recognizable.

Uniquely, the opera’s true protagonist is not the tenor but the baritone, a radical choice at the time. In this production at the Lisbon Coliseum, Peruvian baritone Jorge Tello delivered an outstanding interpretation of Rigoletto. Endowed with a bright, well-rounded timbre, he attacked the high notes with ease and sang with exemplary legato, musicality, and expressive phrasing, capturing both the character’s bitterness and his profound humanity.

Tenor Alain Damas, as the Duke of Mantua, possesses a voice still in development. He occasionally avoided the highest notes, conserving his resources for the final act, where greater rhythmic precision would be desirable.

The role of Gilda was sung by lyric soprano Alicia Hervás, who offered a full, pleasing voice and expressive sincerity.

The orchestra, though generally effective, was at times compromised by amplification, which affected balance and clarity. Nevertheless, the performance was well received by a full house, confirming Rigoletto’s enduring appeal and Verdi’s mastery in uniting melody, drama, and psychological depth.

Final Thoughts

This production reaffirmed Rigoletto as one of Verdi’s most compelling operas—a tragedy in which laughter turns to despair and love becomes the instrument of fate. With a powerful central performance and strong audience response, the curse once again resonated with tragic force.

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Thanks to: Grupo Chiado, Sandra Godinho