Act I
A ball is being held at the Duke of Mantua’s palace. The Duke – a young man with no scruples – is concerned only with the pleasures and delights of life. He has recently seduced the Count of Monterone’s daughter, and now the beautiful Countess of Ceprano has caught his eye. Rigoletto – the Duke’s ungainly jester – publicly mocks Count Ceprano and advises the Duke to imprison or kill him. The Count seeks revenge and, to this end, suggests to the courtiers that they abduct a young and beautiful girl living in a secluded cottage—to which Rigoletto secretly makes his way every evening—for the Duke. Ceprano believes the girl is the jester’s lover. Disrupting the atmosphere of the ball, Count Monterone appears; standing before the Duke with majestic bearing, he demands satisfaction for the seduction of his daughter. In response, Rigoletto mocks his words. The outraged old man curses the jester and his master.
Late in the evening, Rigoletto returns to his home on the outskirts of Mantua. The hired assassin Sparafucile offers to provide his services, but Rigoletto rejects his proposals. Yet a sense of dread and fear stirs within him. The source of the jester’s worries is his beloved daughter, Gilda, whom he has raised far from the world, guarding her like a treasure. He allows her to go out only to church. He does not know, however, that it was in church that the girl met and fell in love with an unknown young man. The Duke of Mantua, disguised in a commoner’s attire, sneaks into Rigoletto’s house. He is Gilda’s beloved, and now, hidden amongst the bushes, he learns to his astonishment that she is the daughter of his jester. After Rigoletto has left, the Prince emerges from his hiding place and, having calmed Gilda’s fears, introduces himself as a poor student, confessing his love to her. The Prince’s courtiers appear, having come to carry out their plan. They are accompanied by Rigoletto himself, convinced that the target is the Countess of Ceprano, whose palace lies opposite his own home. The masked man helps the kidnappers and only when he hears Gilda’s scream does he realise that it is his own daughter who is being abducted. He realises that he has fallen victim to a ruse.
Act II
The Duke is as yet unaware of the surprise his courtiers have prepared for him; therefore, upon realising that Gilda has disappeared, he assumes that someone else has dared to kidnap her. He is distraught. When the courtiers humorously describe the abduction to him and report that Rigoletto’s supposed mistress is in the palace, the Prince, overcome with passion, hurries to his victim. Meanwhile, Rigoletto arrives at the palace. Under the guise of jest, he hides his concern and searches everywhere for Gilda. The courtiers, however, refuse to let him into the Prince’s chambers. The news that Gilda is not Rigoletto’s mistress but his daughter only briefly stirs their consciences. The wretched father’s pleas are in vain. Suddenly, the door to the Prince’s chamber opens and Gilda rushes out. Clinging to her father’s knees, she tells him the story of her abduction, but also of her love. Rigoletto understands everything. Anger wells up in his heart. A prisoner passing through the hall – Count Monterone – laments the futility of the curse.
Hearing this, Rigoletto, in a fit of rage, vows to take cruel revenge for him and for himself. Gilda, who still loves the Prince, begs her father to abandon his plan. Rigoletto is unyielding and forcibly takes her away from the palace.
Act III
The Prince, seduced by the charms of Magdalena, the sister of the hired assassin Sparafucile, arrives on the outskirts of Mantua. Earlier, Rigoletto had paid Sparafucile to kill the Prince. The jester has also brought Gilda with him, so that she may realise the Prince is not worthy of her love. Magdalena, who has taken a fancy to the young man, asks her brother to spare his life. Sparafucile declares that he will not kill the Prince if he is allowed to kill someone else instead. Gilda hears this and resolves to sacrifice herself for her beloved. Rigoletto appears and receives a sack containing the body of the murdered victim from Sparafucile. Suddenly, he hears the Prince singing. He tears open the sack and recognises Gilda. “The curse has been fulfilled,” cries Rigoletto, and collapses unconscious to the ground beside the dead Gilda.
