LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER: NEW YORK CITY OPERA: VERDI, RIGOLETTO {ITALIAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES} {TAPE 2 OF 2} (TV)
Summary
Continued from T:76553. Tape two of two. One in this series on the performing arts. In this program -- one in a series of live broadcasts from the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City -- the New York City Opera performs Giuseppe Verdi's "Rigoletto," an opera in three acts, sung in Italian with English subtitles. The tape begins in Act II, as Rigoletto begs the courtiers to take pity on him and return his daughter. Gilda leaves the Duke of Mantua's chamber; she sings to Rigoletto about her shameful affair. As Monterone is led to the dungeon, and over Gilda's protests, Rigoletto swears vengeance on the Duke for dishonoring his and Monterone's daughters. In the intermission between Acts II and III, Sills interviews Richard Leech and Brent Ellis. Leech, who plays the Duke, discusses the Duke's amorality and how he enjoys the role. He also talks about his positive experiences performing with European opera companies and playing the Duke in prior Tito Capobianco productions of "Rigoletto." Sills explains how she divines singers' strengths through their choices of audition songs; Leech recalls his past auditions. After a short pause in the production, Sills talks to Brent Ellis. Ellis, who plays Rigoletto, discusses the emotional fulfillment and exhaustion of his role; Sills and Ellis talk about whether Rigoletto is a sympathetic character; Ellis discusses his experience playing Rigoletto, and his appreciation of the fullness of Verdi's characterization of Rigoletto through his music. Ellis explains Director Capobianco's approach to the role. Ellis then talks about other Verdi roles he's played, and whether they are more or less difficult than Rigoletto.
Before the resumption of the opera, announcer Lloyd Moss discusses the original version of the libretto and gives a summary of Capobianco's career. Act III opens as Rigoletto and Gilda meet after her month as the Duke's mistress. Though Gilda swears she and the Duke share a mutual undying love, Rigoletto insists the Duke is deceitful. After making arrangements with the villainous Sparafucile, Rigoletto offers to prove the Duke's lechery to Gilda and brings her to Sparafucile's Inn. At the Inn, Gilda observes the Duke's duplicity when he sings a song decrying women's fickleness and declares his love to Sparafucile's sister, Maddalena. Rigoletto tells Sparafucile to kill the Duke; Maddalena begs Sparafucile to spare the Duke, and he agrees to kill a replacement, if one arrives. Overhearing this, Gilda decides to die in the Duke's place in spite of his deceit. Believing her to be a boy, Sparafucile stabs Gilda, places her in a sack, and hands his victim to Rigoletto in place of the Duke. Rigoletto opens the sack and discovers his daughter, who dies in his arms.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by The Edward John Noble Foundation.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: September 21, 1988 Wednesday 9:40 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:18:33
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:76554
- GENRE: Music
- SUBJECT HEADING: Operas
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1976-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- John Goberman … Producer
- Marc Bauman … Coordinating Producer
- Karen McLaughlin … Associate Producer
- Sonya Friedman … Production (Misc.), English Subtitles
- Ken Tabachnick … Production (Misc.), Lighting Designer
- Carl Toms … Production (Misc.), Set Designer, Costume Designer
- Kurt Browning … Director
- Alan Skog … Direction (Misc.), Associate Director
- Tito Capobianco … Director, For "Rigoletto"
- Gigi Elena … Direction (Misc.), Assistant Director, For "Rigoletto"
- Jessica Redel … Direction (Misc.), Ballet Mistress, For the New York City Opera Dancers
- Danny Abelson … Writer
- Giuseppe Verdi … Composer
- Francesco Maria Piave … Librettist
- Elio Boncompagni … Conductor
- John Pintavalle … Music (Misc. Credits), Concert Master, For the New York City Opera
- New York City Opera … Choir/Chorus
- Joseph Colaneri … Choral Director, For the New York City Opera Chorus
- Esperanza Galan … Choreographer
- Beverly Sills … Host
- Lloyd Moss … Announcer
- Mark S. Doss … Cast, Sparafucile
- Brent Ellis … Cast, Rigoletto
- Faith Esham … Cast, Gilda
- William Ledbetter … Cast, Count Ceprano
- Richard Leech … Cast, Duke of Mantua
- Susanne Marsee … Cast, Maddalena