wever, to "La Maledizione." Warned by the political events of 1848,
the police flatly refused to allow the representation of a king on the
stage in such situations as those given to Francis I. in the original
tragedy. The composer and the manager of the theatre begged in vain
that the libretto should be accepted, but the authorities were
obstinate. At last a way was found out of the difficulty by the chief
of police himself, who was a great lover of art. He suggested to the
librettist that the King should be changed to a duke of Mantua, and
the title of the work to "Rigoletto," the name of the buffoon who
figures in the place of the original Triboulet. Verdi accepted the
alterations, and had an opera ready in forty days which by nearly all
critics is considered his musical masterpiece, notwithstanding the
revolting character of the story.

The scene of the opera is laid in Mantua. Rigoletto, the privileged
buffoon of the Duke, who also plays the part of pander in all his
licentious schemes, among numerous other misdeeds has assisted his
master in the seduction of the wife of Count Ceprano and the daughter
of Count Monterone. The latter appears before the Duke and Rigoletto,
and demands reparation for the dishonor put upon his house, only to
find himself arrested by order of the Duke, and taunted in the most
insolent manner by the buffoon, upon whom he invokes the vengeance of
Heaven. Even the courtiers themselves are enraged at Rigoletto's
taunts, and determine to assist in Monterone's revenge by stealing
Gilda, the jester's daughter, whom they suppose to be his mistress.
Closely as she had been concealed, she had not escaped the observation
of the Duke, who in the guise of a poor student wins her affections
and discovers her dwelling-place. Pretending that it is Count
Ceprano's wife whom they are about to abduct, they even make Rigoletto
assist in the plot and help convey his own daughter to the Duke's
apartments. In his blind fury when he discovers the trick that has
been played upon him, he hires Sparafucile, a professional assassin,
to kill the Duke. The bravo allures the Duke to his house, intending
to carry out his agreement; but his sister, Magdalena, is so
fascinated with the handsome stranger, that she determines to save
him. Sparafucile at first will not listen to her, but finally promises
if any one else comes to the house before the time agreed upon for the
murder he shall be the victim. Rigoletto meanwhile