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Black Dog Opera Library
Rigoletto: English National Opera Guide 15
Each Opera Guide contains the complete text of an opera in the original, with a parallel English translation, introductory essays, numerous musical examples and illustrations. 'The subject cannot fail!' exulted Verdi, when recommending Victor Hugo's play, Le Roi s'amuse, to his librettist. But the censors made every effort to stop it... and the baritone was not easily convinced that a hunchback role would suit him. Jonathan Keates gives a vivid insight into the composition of a masterpiece. Verdi long afterwards thought it was his best work, and Roger Parker explains why. Peter Nichols, author of several best-selling books in Italy, picks out some of the peculiarly Italian attitudes and characters in the opera which make it timeless—and unnervingly modern.
80 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1851
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About the author
Giuseppe Verdi
1,548 books34 followersFullest artistic form of operas of Giuseppe Verdi, Italian composer, included
La Traviata
in 1853,
Aïda
in 1871, and
Otello
in 1887; people credit him with raising the genre.
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi, mainly a Romantic, most influenced the 19th century. Houses frequently perform his works throughout the world, and some themes transcended the boundaries of the genre and long took root in popular culture:
* "La donna è mobile" from Rigoletto
* "Va, pensiero" (The Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves) from Nabucco , and
* "Libiamo ne' lieti calici" (The Drinking Song).
Masterworks of Giuseppe Verdi used a generally diatonic rather than a chromatic musical idiom, and people sometimes criticized tendency toward melodrama, which dominates the standard repertoire a century and a half.
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi, mainly a Romantic, most influenced the 19th century. Houses frequently perform his works throughout the world, and some themes transcended the boundaries of the genre and long took root in popular culture:
* "La donna è mobile" from Rigoletto
* "Va, pensiero" (The Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves) from Nabucco , and
* "Libiamo ne' lieti calici" (The Drinking Song).
Masterworks of Giuseppe Verdi used a generally diatonic rather than a chromatic musical idiom, and people sometimes criticized tendency toward melodrama, which dominates the standard repertoire a century and a half.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 11, 2025
A melodramatic tragedy with strong characters, emotional heft, political resonance, and a great score.
August 8, 2025
Tormentato. Oscuro. Straziante.
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April 21, 2011Review: italiano / français
Un pò difficile a leggere per me, forse perché è in verso e meno "naturale" che della prosa che ho già letto. Non mi piace tanto questo libretto: manca la musica (preferisco vedere e sentire un'opera che leggerlo) e, perché la difficoltà di lettura, gli emozioni (all'eccezione della fine con la morta di Gilda, non ho niente sentito, ne gioia o rido, ne tristezza). Non so veramente quale nota mettere perché non mi piace la lettura, ma so che mi piacerebbe molto la rappresentazione.
Un peu difficile à lire pour moi, peut-être parce qu'écrit en vers et donc moins "naturel" que de la prose. Je n'ai pas tellement aimé ce livret: il y manquait la musique (je préfère voir et entendre un opéra, plutôt que le lire) et, à cause de ma difficulté de lecture, les émotions (à l'exception de la fin avec la mort de Gilda, je n'ai rien ressenti, ni joie ou rire, ni tristesse). Je ne sais pas vraiment quelle note mettre puisque je n'apprécie pas la lecture, mais je sais que j'aimerais la représentation.
Un pò difficile a leggere per me, forse perché è in verso e meno "naturale" che della prosa che ho già letto. Non mi piace tanto questo libretto: manca la musica (preferisco vedere e sentire un'opera che leggerlo) e, perché la difficoltà di lettura, gli emozioni (all'eccezione della fine con la morta di Gilda, non ho niente sentito, ne gioia o rido, ne tristezza). Non so veramente quale nota mettere perché non mi piace la lettura, ma so che mi piacerebbe molto la rappresentazione.
Un peu difficile à lire pour moi, peut-être parce qu'écrit en vers et donc moins "naturel" que de la prose. Je n'ai pas tellement aimé ce livret: il y manquait la musique (je préfère voir et entendre un opéra, plutôt que le lire) et, à cause de ma difficulté de lecture, les émotions (à l'exception de la fin avec la mort de Gilda, je n'ai rien ressenti, ni joie ou rire, ni tristesse). Je ne sais pas vraiment quelle note mettre puisque je n'apprécie pas la lecture, mais je sais que j'aimerais la représentation.
July 1, 2017
3 stars for this particular edition, as the unnecessarily loose translation bothered me immensely. However, if one doesn't care about this aspect, the additional information about the opera, composer and the actual music is very interesting and educational.
My sister and I went to Rigoletto in the Arena Verona and it was wonderful, absolutely magical - extraordinary and special - as one gets to listen to beautiful music while the sun sets slowly in the background...
In summary, if you ever are in Verona during the summer, an opera in the Arena is an absolute must!
My sister and I went to Rigoletto in the Arena Verona and it was wonderful, absolutely magical - extraordinary and special - as one gets to listen to beautiful music while the sun sets slowly in the background...
In summary, if you ever are in Verona during the summer, an opera in the Arena is an absolute must!
November 27, 2024
The libretto is sweet and short, read it in preparation of going to see the opera. The drama! Poor Gilda, her wasted little heart brought her ruin, and poor Rigoletto, making such a regrettable mistake! The Duke is my favourite, unfortunately, I love his theme, and he is an amazing catalyst for the tragedy of the story!
November 26, 2024
[12:15pm-1:15pm] I picked up this opera series from a thrift store for the aesthetic, but it was truly an amazing read. Understanding the background and historical setting opened the definition of “classic” to a whole new level.
April 12, 2022
Mia professoressa direbbe che sarei mato. Lol.
Quest’opera è una degli supremi di Verdi🤩
Quest’opera è una degli supremi di Verdi🤩
August 21, 2024
This guy does not miss.
January 25, 2025
What a wicked twist. There's no last laugh for the jester. The horrific jokes on him.
January 1, 2021
The libretto is available in translation in the public domain: http://www.murashev.com/opera/Rigolet...
One of my favorite operas -- I keep discovering new things every time I re-read the libretto and see the different interpretation of the roles. I would like to read "Le roi s'amuse" as a point of comparison.
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12Dec15 - Read in preparation for y first visit to the Metropolitan Opera house! Željko Lučić , Piotr Beczała, Soprano Nadine Sierra in a Rat Pack inspired Regietheater that really hit home for me. Fell in love with opera!
Jan 2016 - Reread libretto for Royal Opera House production on DVD, and 2013 Met Opera production on DVD (Željko Lučić, Diana Damrau, and tenor Piotr Beczała).
24Aug20 - Metopera.org pandemic stream of 2013 production: Željko Lučić, Diana Damrau, and tenor Piotr Beczała as the Duke
30Dec20 - Metopera.org pandemic free stream, Pavarotti week. "tarring as the Duke of Mantua, a role he sang 19 times at the Met, tenor Luciano Pavarotti headlines a 1981 performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto. The historic telecast also stars baritone Louis Quilico as the brooding title jester and soprano Christiane Eda-Pierre as his daughter, Gilda. Stream John Dexter’s powerful staging tonight, December 30, starting at 7:30PM ET."
One of my favorite operas -- I keep discovering new things every time I re-read the libretto and see the different interpretation of the roles. I would like to read "Le roi s'amuse" as a point of comparison.
------
12Dec15 - Read in preparation for y first visit to the Metropolitan Opera house! Željko Lučić , Piotr Beczała, Soprano Nadine Sierra in a Rat Pack inspired Regietheater that really hit home for me. Fell in love with opera!
Jan 2016 - Reread libretto for Royal Opera House production on DVD, and 2013 Met Opera production on DVD (Željko Lučić, Diana Damrau, and tenor Piotr Beczała).
24Aug20 - Metopera.org pandemic stream of 2013 production: Željko Lučić, Diana Damrau, and tenor Piotr Beczała as the Duke
30Dec20 - Metopera.org pandemic free stream, Pavarotti week. "tarring as the Duke of Mantua, a role he sang 19 times at the Met, tenor Luciano Pavarotti headlines a 1981 performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto. The historic telecast also stars baritone Louis Quilico as the brooding title jester and soprano Christiane Eda-Pierre as his daughter, Gilda. Stream John Dexter’s powerful staging tonight, December 30, starting at 7:30PM ET."
May 18, 2011
Very much The Count of Monte Cristo meets Les Miserables - and a very good score to boot. So far, in terms of opera, it's this or Tosca. Take your pick.
October 27, 2012
One of my favorite operas.
April 27, 2017
Che meraviglia!! Mi piace molto! The story is powerful and the libretto is wonderful! Verdi's 'Rigoletto' is one of my favorite operas.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews