What makes a great tune? For opera composers throughout history, this question often meant the difference between a forgotten work and an instant sensation. Operagoers often went to the theater as much to hear star singers perform famous arias as to experience the opera itself. When a tune became popular, it was quickly imitated and heard throughout the city the next day.
When it comes to inventing unforgettable melodies, few composers were as gifted as Giuseppe Verdi. Born in Busseto, Verdi was one of the preeminent opera composers of 19th-century Italy, writing some of history’s most beloved operas, including “La traviata” and “Otello.” In the case of his controversial “Rigoletto,” one standout aria in the third act has become one of the most memorable in all of music.
Rigoletto
While “Rigoletto” was a resounding success at its premiere, its inception was a complicated process. Based on Victor Hugo’s play “Le roi s’amuse,” the opera initially faced censorship concerns, since Hugo’s original drama had been banned in France for its portrayal of royal immorality. “Rigoletto” seemed likely to follow in its footsteps until the opera was saved after some timely edits to the plot. The revised libretto changed the King into a Duke, and the original jester of the story, Triboulet, was renamed as the opera’s title character “Rigoletto.”
George Cai, a cellist and an enthusiast of classical music, has toured the globe from Carnegie Hall to the Deutsche Oper Berlin. He resides in New York.
