Opera itself is a genre for lovers of both singing and theatre. It is only in opera performances that it is possible to hear the lines of the actors in a musical performance. In addition, opera likewise has a certain higher standard for vocal performers. The best opera singers are often world-renowned stars, far more famous than performers of other genres or actors in ordinary dramatic theatre. That is why the attitude toward opera, as an art on the verge of combining two planes that require talent, is so ambiguous – it is both profound and light simultaneously, both for perception and for the audience’s reflection.
Rigoletto, Verdi’s work inspired by and based on Victor Hugo’s drama The King is Amused, was written in the early second half of the 19th century. With the librettist Piave’s help, Verdi realized his idea of bringing the work to life. However, the opera underwent serious changes and persecution because of censorship, as it showed disrespect for the monarchical system. In any case, after its release, the genre’s admirers were able to appreciate the master’s next creation.
The tumultuous clash of passions, the dynamic and tense plot at some moments, the solid romantic contrasts seasoned with pathos – all this can be seen in Rigoletto. A variety of situations and tones in mood, brilliance and drama, love and hate were present in the text of Verdi’s revised work. Despite the attempts to avoid the censorship to which Hugo’s drama was subjected at the time of its release and the correction of many details, the clash with the censorship did occur. It served, for the most part, not to considerably change the plot but to replace the main characters’ names.
In addition to the rich and psychologically well-crafted text, the music is an essential part of Rigoletto. In reworking the plot, Verdi opted for a more chamber-like sound and for emphasizing the relationships between the characters in tense, sung dialogues. Each of the central characters has a different voice timbre, highlighting the character and partially characterizing it. The musical setting of each character’s part corresponds not only to the situation but also to the individual specificity of the role being played.
Thus the parts of Rigoletto are written in baritone, and his character combines a loving and gentle father, a caustic jester and a revengeful, hateful and aggressive vigilante. His daughter, Gilda, has a soprano part and combines the naivety of youth, soulful purity and loveliness, and selfless devotion. The opposing characters display negative qualities – the Duke, as one of the main antagonists, appears as a depraved, indifferent and frivolous tenor. The assassin has a bass part and appropriate gloomy lines.
The characters and their respective parts clearly contrast, and many psychological nuances are reflected in the music of the opera. The main melody of the curse, a tragic motif, appears periodically in the work, accompanied by appropriate lighting. It is not uncommon for parts that are entirely different in their content to overlap. An example of this would be the Duke’s aria in Act IV against a background of Gilda’s grief, Rigoletto’s own gloominess and the mockery of yet another of the Duke’s lovers. Alternatively, in Act I, the Duke’s ballad is interwoven with the curse motif, and the Duke’s vocal line is countered by a build-up of orchestral sound.
Despite some excessive pathos and exaggeration in the script, the overall impression of the opera is unequivocally positive. The parts between Rigoletto and his daughter are particularly well done, and the versatility of the protagonist’s character and the abundance of masks compel us to respect the skill of the performer. It is the contrasts and fullness of every possible emotion that Rigoletto owes its worldwide fame, and this fact can be definitely confirmed.