The Power of the Curse

The Historical Archive of the Teatro Regio di Parma, preserved by Casa della Musica, with documentation from 1816 to 2001, contains the sketches and figures and the stage photographs, which allow us to retrace the history of the preparations, through the tables of the great scenographers and costume designers who worked at the Teatro Regio and thanks to the photographers give us their gaze on the staging.

The opera of the Popular Trilogy and of fundamental importance for Giuseppe Verdi is performed for the first time in 1851 and is performed on the occasion of the 1986-87 Opera Season at the Teatro Regio in Parma. The story set in the 16th century Mantua. Rigoletto, the court jester has a daughter, Gilda, whom he tries to keep secret from the courtiers and the Duke, many of whom want to take revenge on him for the ferocious mockery.

The concert master and conductor chosen for the occasion is Angelo Campori while the direction, sets and costumes are entrusted to Pier Luigi Samaritani. The direction and the scenes of Samaritani focuses on the character of Rigoletto and not on the other characters with a summary psychology, with barely sketched outlines. The director tries to focus on a new place in the geography of feelings: domestic tenderness, the warm refuge, where Rigoletto seeks his redemption.

while in the scene photo we find the architectural details that the director and scenographer wanted to create.

The sketch and the photo represent the drama of the situation thanks to the glimpses, the lights and the almost cinematic scenes.

Locanda di Sparafucile and Maddalena. Double vision of the external and internal environment functional to the scenic action of setting music.

The costumes of Samaritans are from the sixteenth century, as the setting and the story of the libretto want.
Extremely colorful and bright, a dynamic element of the visual discourse.

unlike the photo where the costume is very elaborate with different fabrics and materials.

Pencil figure of Gilda. Hardly any details

It represents the simplicity and humility that have always been attributed to the character of Gilda. The light colors represent the purity of the character.

Photo of the Duke of Mantua. Played by Alfredo Kraus, he wears royal robes in black with gold details and a fur cloak while holding a red feather in his hand.