Ingvar Wixell

Erik, the son of a wealthy farmer, and Anna, the daughter of a poor crofter, have known each other since they were children. Now, that they are grown up, they love each other, but their parents won't let them have each other, since their families are enemies. Erik's father wants him to marry a rich girl instead and when Anna hears about this, she falls ill and even starts to show signs of insanity. Will the two have each other or will everything go wrong?

Rigoletto is a jester in the court of the Duke of Mantua. He has a hunch-back and he's rather unattractive, but he's good at his job of humiliating the courtiers for the amusement of the Duke. The courtiers, of course, are not amused. The Duke is a ladies man who feels his life would be meaningless if he couldn't chase every skirt he sees. In fact, we learn as the opera begins that he's recently been noticing a young lady every Sunday on her way to church, and he's vowed to have his way with her. What nobody realizes is that the girl is the jester's beloved daughter, Gilda, and that Gilda has seen the Duke every Sunday and is smitten with him. Suddenly Count Monterone appears at court, furious that the Duke has seduced his daughter. Rigoletto ridicules Monterone, the Duke laughs, and Monterone casts an awful curse on both of them. Later, the courtiers discover that Rigoletto is secretly living with Gilda...

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