Verdi: Rigoletto - Björling, Warren, Sayão - Sodero - 29. 12. 1945

The opera, set at the ducal court in 16th century Mantua, opens with a scene in which the Duke, abetted by his jester Rigoletto, mocks Monterone, a courtier whose daughter the Duke has seduced. Monterone's curse on them both takes effect when the Duke, in disguise, finds his way into Rigoletto's house and declares his love for Rigoletto's beloved daughter Gilda, whom Rigoletto later unwittingly helps to abduct to the palace. There the Duke is able to betray her, and Rigoletto now plans to have the Duke killed. In the final act of the opera the Duke is closeted with Maddalena, sister of the murderer Sparafucile, whom Rigoletto has hired to murder his master. Maddalena persuades her brother to kill another in place of the Duke, and hand over his victim's body, concealed in a sack, to Rigoletto. Gilda, disguised as a man, overhears the conversation, and resolves to sacrifice herself. As Rigoletto gloats over what he believes to be the body of his daughter's seducer, the voice of the Duke is heard. Rigoletto tears open the sack, to reveal his dying daughter.

Artists
Duque de Mantua - Jussi Björling
Rigoletto - Leonard Warren
Gilda - Bidu Sayão
Sparafucile - Norman Cordon
Maddalena - Martha Lipton
Giovanna - Thelma Altman
Conde de Monterone - William Hargrave
Caballero Marullo - George Cehanovsky
Borsa Matteo - Richard Manning
Conde de Ceprano - John Baker
Condesa de Ceprano - Maxine Stellman

New York Metropolitan Opera Chorus
New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Conductor - Cesare Sodero
New York, 29th december, 1945


Tracklist - Disc 1
ACT I
1. Prelude
2. Della mia bella incognita (Duke, Borsa)
3. Ballata: Questa o quella (Duke)
4. Partite?… Crudele! (Duke, Countess Ceprano, Rigoletto, Borsa)
5. Gran nuova! gran nuova! (Marullo, Borsa, Courtiers, Duke, Rigoletto)
6. Ch'io gli parli (Monterone, Duke, Borsa, Rigoletto, Marullo, Ceprano)
7. Quel vecchio maledivami! (Rigoletto, Sparafucile)
8. Pari siamo!… Figlia! - Mio padre!… (Rigoletto, Gilda)
9. Deh non parlare al misero (Rigoletto, Gilda, Giovanna, Duke)
10. Giovanna, ho dei rimorsi… E il sol dell' anima (Gilda, Giovanna, Duke)
11. Gualtier Malde… Caro nome (Gilda, Borsa, Ceparno, Courtiers)
12. Riedo!… perche?… Zitti, zitti (Rigoletto, Borsa, Ceprano, Courtiers)


Tracklist - Disc 2
ACT II
1. Ella mi fu rapita!… Parmi veder le lagrime (Duke)
2. Duca, duca? (Borsa, Marullo, Ceprano, Courtiers)
3. Povero Rigoletto! (Marullo, Rigoletto, Borsa, Ceprano, Page)
4. Cortigiani, vil razza dannata (Rigoletto)
5. Mio padre? (Gilda, Rigoletto, Borsa, Marulllo, Ceprano)
6. Tutte le feste al tempio (Gilda, Rigoletto)
7. Compiuto pur quanto… Si, vendetta (Rigoletto, Gilda, Herald, Monterone)
8. E l'ami? - Sempre (Rigoletto, Gilda, Duke, Sparafucile)
ACT III
9. La donna e mobile… E la il vostruomo… (Duke, Sparafucile)
10. Un di, se ben rammentomi… Bella figlia dell' amore (Duke, Gilda, Maddalena, Rigoletto)
11. M'odi! ritorna a casa… (Rigoletto, Gilda, Sparafucile, Borsa, Duke, Maddalena)
12. Somiglia un Apollo (Maddalenda, Gilda, Sparafucile)
13. Dalla vendetta alfin giunge l'istante! (Rigoletto, Sparafucile, Duke)
14. Chi e mai, chi e qui in sua vece? (Rigoletto, Gilda)