“RIGOLETTO” TO-NIGHT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 457, 12 September 1928, Page 14

“RIGOLETTO” TO-NIGHT

With “Rigoletto,” another wellknown Verdi opera will be presented this evening-. It was first produced at Venice in 1851. The opera tells of the gay Duke of Mantua, whose life is one long adventure with pretty women. His hunchback jester, “Rigoletto,” assists him in this direction, arranging for him his many affairs. Count Monterone, whose daughter has been betrayed by the Duke, curses Rigoletto, who, possessing a pretty daughter unknown to the Duke, trembles in fear of it. Some of the Duke’s courtiers discover Rigoletto’s daughter, and thinking she is his mistress, plan to abduct her for the Duke. They tell Rigoletto that they are seizing some other damsel, but that he must come with them blindfolded. Thus, unwittingly he aids them in carrying off his own daughter. When he discovers the plot he hastens to the Duke’s apartments, but it is too late. He plans revenge and arranges for a hired assassin tc kill the man who calls on his daughter. His daughter overhears the plot, and despite £\.e fickleness of her ducal lover, resolves to save him.

Passing herself off as a page, she presents herself instead and is stabbed by the assassin, who sews the body up in a sack. To complete his revenge Rigoletto carries the body to the river himself, but as he is about to throw it in he hears the Duke singing a love song in the distance. He cuts open the sack and finds his daughter Gilda expiring. The curse has struck home.

The following principals will appear: Maria Henkina, Russian (coloratura soprano). Anita Mazza (soprano), Matilda Pfrimmer (mezzo - soprano), Franco Izal (baritone), Brandisio Vannucci (tenor), Antonio Alfieri (basso), Francesco Frederici (baritone), A. Gilardi (tenor), C. Gilson (tenor), and Gardelli (baritone).

A group of prominent authors enjoyed anew the thrill of newspaper reporting by “sitting in” on one of the court-room scenes of “The Bellamy Trial,” the screen version of Frances Noyes Hart’s mystery story. Among those who occupied press boxes at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios were Adela Rogers St. Johns, William Dudley Pelley, John Colton, Lewis Browne, Louella Parsons and Samuel Ornitz. Monta Bell is directing the new picture and Leatrice Joy, George Barraud, Kenneth Thompson and Betty Bronson are included in the supporting cast.