Leyla Gencer Archive

RIGOLETTO

Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901)

Opera in three acts in Italian

Libretto: Francesco Maria Piave after Victor Hugo’s Le Roi s’amuse
Premièr at Teatro La Fenice, Venice – 11 March 1851

25 September, 20 October 1958

War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco

Conductor: Jean Fournet

Chorus master: Gianni Lazzarini

Stage director: Enrico Frigerio

Choregrapher: Eugene Loring
Costumes: Goldstein & Co.

The Duke of Mantua GIANNI RAIMONDI tenor

Rigoletto his jester ROBERT WEED baritone
Gilda his daughter LEYLA GENCER soprano [Role debut]
Giovanna her duenna KATHERINE HILGENBERG mezzo-soprano
Count Ceprano a noble man JOHN GILLAPSY bass
Count Monterone a noble man MARK ELYN baritone
Sparafucile a bravo LORENZO ALVARY bass
Maddalena her sister CECILIA WARD / CLARAMAE TURNER (20.10) mezzo-soprano
Matteo Borsa a courtier VIRGINIO ASSANDRI tenor
Cavaliere Marullo a courtier HAROLD ENNS baritone
Countess Ceprano MARGOT BLUM mezzo-soprano
A page JOAN MARIE MOYNAGH soprano

Time: Sixteenth Century
Place: Mantua

Photos © BILL COGAN, San Francisco