Verdi's Rigoletto and Mantua... the true story

The name of Mantua is notorious in the world for having been chosen by Verdi as the set for his Opera “Rigoletto”. Actually the plot of the opera is fictional. At very first the beginning Verdi wanted to set the musical drama in Paris, at the court Francois I, depicting the king as an immoral and cynical womanizer. The Board of Censors would never have accepted this, because it would have seen as an offense against the dignity of the European kings reigning in that period. 

So Verdi decided to move the action of the Opera from the royal court of France to the duchy of Mantua: the Gonzaga Family had long been extinct by the beginning of 18th Century, and their Dukedom did not exist anymore. So nobody could be offended. 

As soon as the Opera “Rigoletto” became a theatrical triumph, the people in Mantua started to look for real places for its fictional story. So the rectory (parsonage) of the Cathedral, located in front of the Ducal Palace, began to be named “Rigoletto's house”.

A statue of Rigoletto, the fictitious inhabitant of the house, was made by Aldo Falchi in 1978, to be set in the garden.

The “Rigoletto” was first performed at La Fenice theatre in Venice, on March 11th 1851.

In 2010 a great live performance of “Rigoletto” has been broadcasted from Mantua. The cast included Placido Domingo (as Rigoletto), Vittorio Grigolo (as the Duke of Mantua) and Julia Novikova  (as Gilda). The Music has been conducted by Zubin Mehta.

Breaking news! Rigoletto on PBS on July 15th 2011

The Worldwide Broadcast, recorded Live in High Def at the actual locations of the Opera comes to “Great Performances” on Friday, July 15th at 9:30 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings).

“Great Performances” is a production of THIRTEEN for WNET, one of America's most prolific and respected public media partners.

Maria Callas: A Woman, a Voice, a Myth

 

Maria Callas: A Woman, a Voice, a Myth: a rare exhibition of the great opera singer’s costumes, jewelry and memorabilia. From 1st May to 5th June 2011, the Callas’ exhibition takes place at Palazzo Te, Mantua.

On display the stage costumes worn by the Divine to play the roles of Turandot, Rosina, Violetta Valery, Tosca and Norma. And even a valuable selection of scene jewelry. Among them deserve a special mention the necklace made ​​by Luigi Sapelli, aka Caramba (historical costume designer of the Theatre 'La Scala' in Milan) for Aida, and the stage jewelry made for La Traviata by the firm Karmer New York based on designs of Christian Dior.
A wide range of evening and concert dresses (among them some of those worn during the last world tour, between 1973 and 1974). And even clothing related to privacy of Maria Callas, created mostly by Biki, Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent. Foremost among these the mousseline blouse in cream cotton by Yves Saint Laurent, worn by Callas on the yacht "Christina" of Aristotle Onassis. Another memorabilia related to the Callas' holidays on the "Christina " during the '60s is a collar of gold plated with a cascade of pearls and matching earrings.

In the marvellous Sala dei Giganti of the Palazzo Te, is displayed the costume used by Placido Domingo in Rigoletto, staged in Mantua in a worldwide telecast production (2010). The costume is exhibited togheter with the jester’s stick donated by Tito Gobbi to Maria Callas in 1955 and used in the first ever production of Rigoletto, at La Fenice in 1851.
Don't miss the occasion to meet - at the same time! - the magnificence of the Italian Art and the memories of one of the most iconic voices in the History of Opera. So contact us and make your guided tour a visit to be remembered!

Maria Callas: una donna, una voce, un mito: l'esposizione dedicata a costumi, gioielli e oggetti appartenuti alla grande cantante d'Opera è allestita a Palazzo Te, Mantova, dal 1 Maggio al 5 giugno 2011.
In mostra i costumi di scena indossati dalla Divina per vestire i panni di Turandot, Rosina, Violetta Valery, Tosca e Norma. E ancora una selezione di preziosi gioielli di scena. Tra questi meritano una menzione speciale la collana realizzata da Luigi Sapelli, in arte Caramba (storico costumista del Teatro 'La Scala' di Milano) per l'Aida, e i gioielli di scena realizzati per La Traviata dalla ditta Karmer New York su disegni di Christian Dior.
E ancora un'ampia scelta di abiti da sera e da concerto (tra i quali alcuni di quelli indossati durante l'ultimo tour mondiale, tra il 1973 e 1974). E anche abiti legati alla vita privata di Maria Callas, realizzati per lo più da Biki, Christian Dior e Yves Saint Laurent. Primo fra questi la camicetta in mussola di cotone color crema di Yves Saint Laurent, indossato da Maria Callas sullo yacht "Christina" di Aristotele Onassis. Un altro cimelio legato alle vacanze della Callas sul "Christina" durante gli anni '60 è una collana in metallo dorato con una cascata di perle e orecchini coordinati.
Nella splendida Sala dei Giganti di Palazzo Te, è invece esposto il costume utilizzato da Placido Domingo nel Rigoletto, trasmesso in diretta in mondovisione da Mantova nel 2010. Insieme al costume è esposto il bastone del giullare donato da Tito Gobbi a Maria Callas nel 1955, e utilizzato per la prima assoluta del Rigoletto, alla Fenice, nel 1851.
Non perdete l'occasione di incontrare - al tempo stesso! - la magnificenza dell'arte italiana ed il ricordo di una delle voci più rappresentative della storia dell'Opera. Contattateci e rendete la vostra visita guidata un'esperienza da ricordare!

Palazzo Te - Upcoming exhibition on Maria Callas

On view stage costumes, dresses, memorabilia, and archival photos collected over years of passionate research by Bruno Tosi, President of Associazione Culturale Maria Callas. First displayed at the Olivetti Show Room in Venice in 1993, this exhibition has successfully toured around the world. Following shows at the Italian Cultural Institutes of Los Angeles and San Francisco, the exhibition has now been extensively enlarged and updated and is now on view at the Italian Cultural Institute of New York. Then the exhibition will come back to Italy: from April 15th, in fact, the spirit of La Divina will inhabit the Renaissance rooms of Palazzo Te, Mantua.

Don't miss the occasion to meet - at the same time! - the magnificence of the Italian Art and the memories of one of the most iconic voices in the History of Opera. So contact us and make your guided tour a visit to be remembered!

Discover the place where the Opera was born

During the XVI century, Ferrante Gonzaga – the youngest of the six Isabella d’Este’s children – had a palace built in the center of Mantua. When his son Cesare inherited the building, he decided to create a theatre within it. He also setted there the meeting point for a group of his intellectual friends, known as  the “Accademia degli Invaghiti” (“Academy of the Enamored ones”). Since the Academicians used to have this theatre as their conference room to discuss about art, literature, and - mostly - music, the place soon became a center of the renaissance culture. So important that the very first melodrama of history was played there: “The History of Orpheus” composed by Claudio Monteverdi - considered the first Opera -  was staged at the Accademia on the Carnival of the 1607.
Unfortunatly the original theatre doesn't exist anymore. In fact, in the second half of the XVIII century it was so crumbling, that the Academy had to rebuild it.
The Academy - then renamed "Academy of Science, Literature and Arts" by the empress Maria Theresa from Austria - commissioned the Architect Antonio Galli Bibiena to reconstruct the theatre, exactly in the same place. The building of the new theatre - called "Bibiena" by the name of his constructor - begun 1766, and on the 3rd December 1769 it was inaugurated.
Few weeks after the inauguration, on the 16th  January 1770, Mozart, who was only 13 years old, came to Mantua from Salzburg to play a concert. On that occasion, the young Mozart said that the "Bibiena Theatre" was the most beautiful theatre in the world.
 

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