Voices of Verdi: Opera Verdi Europa performs ‘Rigoletto’ to open Charles Vanda Master Series

Marilyn LaRocque

Thursday, Sept. 25, 2003 | 9:11 a.m.

Italian opera genius Giuseppe Verdi composed "Rigoletto" in only 40 days in 1851.

The opera is based on Victor Hugo's "Le Roi s'Amuse," simply translated, "The King Amuses Himself." Opera Verdi Europa performs the famous work at Artemus Ham Hall at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, at 8 p.m. on Saturday. It is the first presentation of the Charles Vanda Master Series.

Because of the post-French-Revolution political climate in Europe, the Italian librettist changed the locale to Mantua, the French king Francois I became a duke and other characters assumed Italian titles and names.

True to Italian convoluted opera tradition, there is mistaken identity a woman dressed as a man with tragic consequences and skullduggery on a grand scale.

An unscrupulous, conniving individual, Rigoletto, a humpback, is the court jester to the duke of Mantua. Part of his job is abetting the duke in his romantic escapades. To protect her from the lascivious duke, he keeps his beautiful, virtuous daughter, Gilda, in seclusion.

A count who is an enemy of Rigoletto forms a plan to abduct Gilda for the duke's pleasure, enlisting the unsuspecting jester to help carry off the plot. When Rigoletto discovers he has been tricked, he rescues Gilda, vows to kill the duke and hires an assassin. However, the assassin's sister, who is supposed to lure the duke to his doom, falls in love with him instead and begs her brother to spare him. He agrees if he can substitute another body.

Far from feeling victimized by the duke, Gilda is in love with him. She goes to warn him of his peril. Because Gilda is dressed as a man, the assassin thinks she will make a good substitute corpse, stabs her and puts her in a bag, ready for Rigoletto to pick up and throw in the river.

When he hears the supposedly dead Duke singing, Rigoletto realizes that someone else is in the sack, opens it and discovers the body of his dying daughter.

She has enough breath, however, to sing a final duet with her father.

Part of the longevity and musical interest of "Rigoletto" is its extraordinary music.

The aria that reveals that the Duke is alive is "Donna e Mobile" (woman is fickle), a renowned tenor tour de force.

The Act III quartet, "Bela Figlia Dell' Amore" (fairest daughter of love), is not only the piece de resistance of the opera but also one of the most celebrated in all of opera.

It is sung by the Duke, Maddalena, the assassin's sister, Rigoletto and Gilda, each with his or her state of mind reflected in their parts -- the seducer (Duke) enticing Maddalena, she coyly flirting with him, and, outside the Duke's chamber eavesdropping, the despairing Gilda and Rigoletto vowing vengeance.

Founded in 1996 by Ivan Kyrukchiev, Opera Verdi Europa is based in Bulgaria. Although its name implies exclusive focus on Verdi, the troupe also performs works by other opera greats, including Puccini and Donizetti.

Their performances are co-productions of major opera houses of Bulgaria. They also tour to perform in Romania, Hungary, Moldovia, Ukraine, Russia and many other international venues, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and France.

Members of the orchestra, chorus and ballet are drawn from Bulgarian musicians, singers and dancers. This is their first tour in the United States.

Ivan Kyurkchiev studied at Teatro alla Scala in Milan and had as his teachers Giulieta Simeonato and Giuseppe de Stefano. He is a laureate of the International Tenor Enrico Caruso Competition in Milan. His operatic career has encompassed many European houses, as well as Carnegie Hall in New York.

In 1995 the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture named him General Manager of the State Opera House in Rousse.

The Nevada Opera Theatre Guild is staging a separate reception prior to "Rigoletto" at 6:30 p.m. in the Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery at UNLV.

A pre-opera lecture is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. A post-opera celebration will follow the performance. Tickets for only the parties are $30. Cost for the two events and a prime orchestra seat is $90.