There is some admirable declamatory music in it, which seems to
foreshadow the style of 'Rigoletto,' and the sleep-walking scene, though
old-fashioned in structure, is really impressive. After 'Macbeth' came
another series of works which are now forgotten. Among them was 'I
Masnadieri,' which was written for Her Majesty's Theatre in 1847.
Although the principal part was sung by Jenny Lind, the work was a
complete failure, and was pronounced by the critic Chorley to be the
worst opera ever produced in England. Passing quickly by 'Il Corsaro'
(1848), 'La Battaglia di Legnano' (1849), 'Luisa Miller' (1849) and
'Stiffelio' (1850), all of which have dropped completely out of the
current repertory, we come to the brilliant period in which Verdi
produced in succession three works which, through all changes of
taste and fashion, have manfully held their place in popular
favour--'Rigoletto,' 'Il Trovatore,' and 'La Traviata.' 'Rigoletto'
(1851) is founded upon Victor Hugo's drama, 'Le Roi s'amuse.' The
_locale_ of the story is changed, and the King of France becomes a Duke
of Mantua, but otherwise the original scheme of the work remains
unaltered. Rigoletto, the Duke's jester, has an only daughter, Gilda,
whom he keeps closely immured in an out-of-the-way part of the city, to
preserve her from the vicious influence of the court. The amorous Duke,
however, has discovered her retreat, and won her heart in the disguise
of a student.
Pages:
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293