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Front Page arrow Titles (by Subject) arrow SCENE XV.—: Enter Rigoletto, absorbed in thought. - Rigoletto: An Opera in Four Acts

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Subject Area: Music
Topic: Opera and Liberty

SCENE XV.—: Enter Rigoletto, absorbed in thought. - Giuseppe Verdi, Rigoletto: An Opera in Four Acts [1851]

Edition used:

Rigoletto: An Opera in Four Acts, words by Victor Hugo (New York: Fred Rullman, n.d.). Metropolitan Opera House, Grand Opera, Libretto.

About Liberty Fund:

Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


SCENE XV.—

EnterRigoletto,absorbed in thought.

Rig.

(alone.) Do I return? why?

Bor.

Hush, to the work. Pay attention all to me.

Rig.

That man, alas! has cursed me!

Bor.

It was so dark I could not see.

Rig.

Who is there?

Bor.

Hush, Rigoletto is here.

Cep.

A double chance, we can now kill this man.

Bor.

No, no, to-morrow we shall have more laughter.

Mar.

Ah! let me do—

Rig.

Who speaks?

Mar.

Ah, Rigoletto—say?

Rig.

Who is there?

Mar.

Betray us not, I am—

Rig.

Who?

Mar.

Marullo.

We just came here to have some fun—

We are going to steal away Ceprano’s wife

Rig.

(Alas! I wreathe again.) But where to enter?

Mar.

(to Cep.) Where is the key?

(to Rig.) Be not afraid,

We cannot fail.

Here are the keys.

[Gives him the keys received from Cep.

Rig.

This is his crest.

[Feeling the key.

(I feared in vain.)

[Breathing more freely

The house is there! (I come with you.)

Mar.

We are disguised.

Rig.

I must then do the same;

Give me a mask!

Mar.

Yes, here is one.

You will keep fast the ladder.

[Futs a mask to his face, and after having bound it with a handkerchief, leads him to keep firm a ladder, which they have placed to the terrace.

Rig.

Never was it so dark.

Mar.

The handkerchief has made him blind and deaf.

[To his companions.

All.

Hush, hush, let’s take revenge,

When least he thinks of it.

The man that sneers at us,

To-morrow will be our spor

Let’s take his love away,

And we shall laugh at court.

[Some of them go up the terrace, break the window of the first floor, then descend and open the street door to others, who enter and drag away Gilda, who has her mouth tied with a handkerchief. In crossing the scene she loses a scarf.

Gil.

My father! help!

Cho.

Victory!

Gil.

Help!

[More aistant.

Rig.

They have not finished yet. What joke is this?

[Touches his eyes.

A band upon my eyes!

[He snatches off the band and the mask, and by the light of the lantern perceives the scarf, sees the door open, enters and drags out Gio., frightened; he stares at her, and after many efforts to speak, exclaims

The curse!

[Faints.

end of the second act.

ACT III.