Italian Opera

I wrote a blog post a few Sundays ago about Rigoletto; the Italian opera that I went to that day, to inform everyone that I was going, and I wanted  to follow it up now even though it is a little bit delayed. I just had such a great time there that I really wanted to talk about it. In fact, we are looking into going back and seeing Pinocchio on the 18th of April because the tickets are pretty cheap, and we would actually understand everything that was going on just because we know the story of Pinocchio.

The plan started out for it to be a lot of our friends going as a group on a Tuesday night here in Torino, but we recognized shortly after that we had our 1st Midterm in our Italian II class on Wednesday. Therefor, we wanted to go on Sunday night, but because it was the last day of spring break some people had not made it back into town yet, some tired from their travels, some had made plans to do other things, and some just backed out. In the end it was only Ellie and I, so we turned it into a fun date of just the two of us and it ended up being absolutely awesome, and a really cool experience.

The chandelier on the ceiling!

Our view of the stage

Full house for Rigoletto

The mustard man!!

It ended up being good for us that I decided to read the summary of the opera before we went, otherwise our Italian level would not have allowed us to really understand what was going on. [My Italian is really getting good, and am able to really talk to people, but when it comes to Old Italian; dropping off endings, running words that don't go together together, and things like this... well lets just say its like seeing a play in a dialect of Italian: I was able to understand about 50% of the words spoken!] The opera itself, although the only one I have ever been to, was very impressive to me, and I was really impressed with the main lady. Her voice was absolutely incredible and I really enjoyed hearing her sing.

One of the coolest parts of the whole thing was that we got lucky and had our own box so we ended up with a pretty awesome experience. Therefore, we were able to take a few videos while the opera was going on! Although the videos that we were able to take are awesome, they don't even to begin to do it justice. The sound of the performers was just incredible and something that I will remember for a long time. However, I would feel bad if I didn't even try to let you all hear what it sort of sounded like!! So here are a few videos that we were able to take.I apologize that they are crooked, but when we filmed them it was on an iPhone, and now this is what they are!

She was absolutely amazing and she had potentially the best voice of anyone I have ever heard sing.. EVER! The other really cool moment was when the famous opera song "La Donna e Mobile" was sung. I was hoping that we would be able to hear it, but I wasn't 100% sure if we were going to be able to, so when it happened I got really excited!

I am really excited to potentially go back and see Pinocchio on the 18th!!

Rigoletto

So today Ellie and I are going to go to the opera here in Torino. Since I arrived here in September I have wanted to go to an opera. I put it off a couple of times because some people didn't want to go, or the opera that was showing was not one that was super highly rated or for whatever reason. However, today we have decided to take a few hours out of our day and go and watch what is said to be a really really good opera; Rigoletto.

I just read the synopsis of it so that I have some idea of what is going on while we are watching. I thought that I would add the synopsis for you all to check out as well.

ACT I. Mantua, 1500s. At his palace, the Duke lightheartedly boasts to his courtiers of amorous conquests, escorting Countess Ceprano, his latest prize, to a private chamber as his hunchback jester, Rigoletto, makes fun of her husband. Marullo announces that Rigoletto is suspected of keeping a mistress, and Ceprano plots with the courtiers to punish the hated buffoon. Attention is diverted when Monterone, an elderly nobleman, enters to denounce the Duke for seducing his daughter. Ridiculed by Rigoletto and placed under arrest, Monterone pronounces a curse on both the Duke and his jester.
On his way home that night, Rigoletto broods on Monterone's curse. Rejecting the services offered by Sparafucile, a professional assassin, he notes that the word can be as deadly as the dagger. Greeted by his daughter, Gilda, whom he keeps hidden from the world, he reminisces about his late wife, then warns the governess, Giovanna, to admit no one. But as Rigoletto leaves, the Duke slips into the garden, tossing a purse to Giovanna to keep her quiet. The nobleman declares his love to Gilda, who has noticed him in church. He tells her he is a poor student named Gualtier Maldè, but at the sound of footsteps he rushes away. Tenderly repeating his name, Gilda retires. Meanwhile, the courtiers stop Rigoletto outside his house and ask him to help abduct Ceprano's wife, who lives across the way. The jester is duped into wearing a blindfold and holding a ladder against his own garden wall. The courtiers break into his home and carry off Gilda. Rigoletto, hearing her cry for help, tears off his blindfold and rushes into the house, discovering only her scarf. He remembers Monterone's curse.

ACT II. In his palace, the Duke is distraught over the disappearance of Gilda. When his courtiers return, saying it is they who have taken her and that she is now in his bedchamber, he joyfully rushes off to the conquest. Soon Rigoletto enters, warily looking for Gilda; the courtiers bar his way, though they are astonished to learn the girl is not his mistress but his daughter. The jester reviles them, then embraces the disheveled Gilda as she runs in to tell of her courtship and abduction. As Monterone is led to the dungeon, Rigoletto vows to avenge them both.

ACT III. At night, outside Sparafucile's run-down inn on the outskirts of town, Rigoletto and Gilda watch as the Duke flirts with the assassin's sister and accomplice, Maddalena. Rigoletto sends his daughter off to disguise herself as a boy for her escape to Verona, then pays Sparafucile to murder the Duke. As a storm rages, Gilda returns to hear Maddalena persuade her brother to kill not the Duke but the next visitor to the inn instead. Resolving to sacrifice herself for the Duke, despite his betrayal, Gilda enters the inn and is stabbed. Rigoletto comes back to claim the body and gloats over the sack Sparafucile gives him, only to hear his supposed victim singing in the distance. Frantically cutting open the sack, he finds Gilda, who dies asking forgiveness. Monterone's curse is fulfilled.

I have a busy week up ahead with a few tests and a presentation, but I will try to take some time to stop and write a blog not only about how the opera goes, but also about my spring break trip to Saluzzo.