Who's behind the notes? Discover Giuseppe Verdi: The Titan of Italian Opera
Rigoletto is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi, with libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It premiered in 1851 at La Fenice in Venice and is considered one of Verdi's masterpieces. The opera tells the tragic story of Rigoletto, a court jester whose life is destroyed when he attempts to protect his daughter Gilda from the corrupt Duke of Mantua. The famous quartet "Bella figlia dell'amore" and the chorus "Zitti, zitti" are among its most celebrated pieces. The opera was controversial for its time due to its depiction of immoral aristocracy and the tragic ending.