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Front Page arrow Titles (by Subject) arrow SCENE II.—: Enter Marullo, Count Ceprano, Borsa, and other Courtiers. - Rigoletto: An Opera in Four Acts

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Subject Area: Music
Topic: Opera and Liberty

SCENE II.—: Enter Marullo, Count Ceprano, Borsa, and other Courtiers. - 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 II.—

EnterMarullo, Count Ceprano, Borsa,and other Courtiers.

All.

Duke, duke!

Duke.

What news?

All.

Last night we stole away

The mistress of your jester.

Duke.

Is she pretty? Where was she them

All.

At her house.

Duke.

How did this happen?

All.

As we went down a lane,

When day had disappeared,

There, as we had expected,

A lady sweet appeared!

She was your jester’s love;

But soon she ran away.

We thought to bring her here,

When he came in the way.

We come to steal Ceprano’s wife,

Give us your aid, to him we told.

We put a band upon his eyes,

And then the ladder made him hold.

In haste we mounted, and broke the doors,

His lady-love was brought here straight;

When he found out he was deceived,

We left him there to curse his fate.

Duke.

(What do I hear? She is my love!

Alas! My hopes are now all lost.)

[Aside.

But where can this lady be?

All.

She is here, in your own palace.

Duke.

(Yes, love now give me aid;

To her I must repair!

I would give up the world

To change to joy her care.

Ah! soon she will discover

My station, rank, and name,

And learn that love makes slaves

’Mongst rich and poor the same.)

[The Duke exit hastily.

All.

The duke is wrapt in thought;

He seems no more the same.