Verdi: Rigoletto (Highlights), Muti/La Scala (CD)

Discs: 1
Record Label: Sony
Release Year: November 14, 1995

Rigoletto is one of the greatest baritone roles and dominators Verdi’s opera, based on Victor Hugo’s play Le roi s’amuse. Both opera and play rang foul of the censor and consequently the setting for the opera was removed to a fictional court in Mantua. Rigoletto is the court jester, torn between public duty and his role as a clandestine father. Here, Renato Bruson takes the title role alongside a roster of operatic stars, all under the baton of renowned Italian conductor Riccardo Muti.

Contents:

Verdi Highlights from Rigoletto
Renato Bruson Rigoletto
Andrea Rost Gilda
Roberto Alagna Duke of Mantua
Dimitri Kavrakos Sparafucile
Mariana Pentcheva Maddalena
Antonello Trevisan Giovanna
Giorgio Giuseppini Count Monterone
Silvestro Sammaritano Marullo
Ernesto Gavazzi Matteo Borsa
Antonio de Gobbi Count Ceprano
Nicoletta Sanini Countess Ceprano
Ernesto Panariello A Court Usher
Marilena Laurenzia A Page
Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro alla Scala
Roberto Gabbiani chorus director

Track Listing:

1. Prelude
2. “Questa o quella per me pari sono”
3. “Pari siamo!”
4. “Figlia! Mio Padre!”
5. “Ah, deh, non parlare al misero”
6. “Ah! veglia, o donna, questo fiore”
7. “E il sol dell’anima, la vita e amore”
8. “Che m’ami, deh, ripetimi”
9. “Gualtier Malde . . . Caro nome che il mio cor”
10. “Zitti, zitti, moviamo a vendetta”
11. “Ella mi fu rapita! . . . Parmi verder le lagrime”
12. “Provero Rigoletto!”
13. “Cortigiana, vil razza dannata”
14. “Tutte le feste al tempio”
15. “Si, vendetta, tremenda vendetta”
16. “La donne e mobile”
17. “Un di, se ben rammentomi”
18. “Bella figlia dell’amore”
19. “Somiglia un Apollo quell giovane”
20. “V’ho ingannato . . . “