Rigoletto is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the play Le roi s'amuse by Victor Hugo. It was first performed at La Fenice in Venice on March 11, 1851. It is considered by many to be the first of the operatic masterpieces of Verdi's middle-to-late career.
Great tenors who sung Questa o quella: Enrico Caruso, Franco Corelli, Beniamino Gigli, Roberto Alagna, José Carreras, Nicolai Gedda, Sergei Lemeshev, Luciano Pavarotti, Jan Peerce, Leonid Sobinov, Juan Diego Flórez, Plácido Domingo
Act 1. Scene 1: A room in the palace
At a ball in his palace,[6] the Duke sings of a life of pleasure with as many women as possible (Questa o quella - "This woman or that"). He has seen an unknown beauty in church and desires to possess her, but he also wishes to seduce the Countess of Ceprano. Rigoletto, the Duke's hunchbacked court jester, mocks the husbands of the ladies to whom the Duke is paying attention, and advises the Duke to get rid of them by prison or death. Marullo informs the noblemen that Rigoletto has a "lover", and the noblemen cannot believe it. The noblemen resolve to take vengeance on Rigoletto. Subsequently Rigoletto mocks Count Monterone, whose daughter the Duke had seduced. Count Monterone is arrested at the Duke's order and curses the Duke and Rigoletto. The curse genuinely terrifies Rigoletto...
Watch videos with other singers performing Questa o quella:
Questa o quella per me pari sono A quant'altre d'intorno mi vedo; Del mio core l'impero non cedo Meglio ad una che ad altra beltà. La costoro avvenenza è qual dono Di che il fato ne infiora la vita; S'oggi questa mi torna gradita Forse un'altra doman lo sarà.
La costanza, tiranna del core, Detestiamo qual morbo crudele. Sol chi vuole si serbi fedele; Non v'è amor se non v'è libertà. De' mariti il geloso furore, Degli amanti le smanie derido; Anco d'Argo i cent'occhi disfido Se mi punge una qualche beltà.
Entra il Conte di Ceprano, che segue da lungi la sua sposa servita da altro cavaliere; dame e signori che entrano da varie parti.
DUCA alla signora di Ceprano movendo ad incontrarla con molta galanteria Partite? … Crudele!
CONTESSA DI CEPRANO Seguire lo sposo M'è forza a Ceprano.
DUCA Ma dee luminoso In corte tal astro qual sole brillare. Per voi qui ciascuno dovrà palpitare. Per voi già possente la fiamma d'amore Inebria, conquide, distrugge il mio core.
CONTESSA Calmatevi …
Il Duca le dà il braccio ed esce con lei. Entra Rigoletto che s'incontra nel signor di Ceprano, poi cortigiani.
RIGOLETTO In testa che avete, Signor di Ceprano? Ceprano fa un gesto d'impazienza e segue il Duca. Rigoletto dice ai cortigiani. Ei sbuffa, vedete?
BORSA, CORO Che festa!
RIGOLETTO Oh sì...
BORSA, CORO Il Duca qui pur si diverte!
RIGOLETTO Così non è sempre? che nuove scoperte! Il giuoco ed il vino, le feste, la danza, Battaglie, conviti, ben tutto gli sta. Or della Contessa l'assedio egli avanza, E intanto il marito fremendo ne va.
Esce. Entra Marullo premuroso.
English Libretto or Translation:
DUKE That wouldn't worry me at all.
Neither is any different from the rest I see around me; I never yield my heart to one beauty more than another. Feminine charm is a gift bestowed by fate to brighten our lives. And if one woman pleases me today, tomorrow, like as not, another will. Fidelity ? that tyrant of the heart – we shun like pestilence. Only those who want to should be faithful; without freedom there is no love. I find the ravings of jealous husbands and the frenzy of lovers ridiculous; once smitten by a pretty face I'd not let Argus' hundred eyes deter me!
Count Ceprano enters and, from a distance, watches his wife who is on the arm of another man; more ladies and gentlemen enter.
DUKE to Ceprano's wife, greeting her with great gallantry You are leaving us? How cruel!
COUNTESS CEPRANO I must go with my husband to Ceprano.
DUKE So bright a star should be shedding its brilliance on my court. You would make every heart beat faster here. The fires of passion already flare headily, conquering, consuming my heart.
COUNTESS Calm yourself!
The Duke gives her his arm and leads her out. Rigoletto meets Ceprano, then the courtiers.
RIGOLETTO What have you on your head, my lord of Ceprano? Ceprano reacts with an angry gesture, then follows his wife and the Duke. Rigoletto says to the courtiers. He's fuming, did you see?
BORSA, CHORUS What sport!
RIGOLETTO Oh, yes!
BORSA, CHORUS The Duke is enjoying himself!
RIGOLETTO Doesn't he always? That's nothing new.
Gaming and wine, parties, dancing, battles and banquets ? anything goes. Now he's laying siege to the Countess while her husband goes off in a rage.