- Hepokowski, James A., and Mercedes Viale Ferrero. “Otello” di Giuseppe
Verdi.Milan: Ricordi, 1990. 324p. ISBN 88-7592-085-0. ML410 .V4 H48.
Genesis, the first production and its staging (from the Ricordi disposizioni
sceniche),including attention to the costumes at La Scala and in Rome and
Paris. Color reproductions of scenery sketches are a valuable feature. - Bergeron, Katherine. “How to Avoid Believing (While Reading Iago’s “Credo”).”
In Reading Opera(#218), 184–199.
A semiotic approach, citing “conflicts” in the text of the aria, which encourage
new readings. The pleasure of it lies in its resistance to easy reading, its
thwarted expectations. The text mixes free verse and end rhymes. The orches-
tra gives “mixed signals.” The aria is neither recititative nor traditional aria. A
crisis of identity for Iago is thus indicated, and his pronouncements present
two distinct “I’s”: one who believes, one who names. This conflict is not
resolved, but Iago’s final laugh moves beyond the words and music “toward a
definitive view of the text as mockery.”
See also Cone (#1880).
Rigoletto
ASO112 (1988), ENOG 15 (1982), Rororo (1982). Verdi3 (1969–1982) is mostly
concerned with Rigoletto. One article of importance:
- Marchesi, Gustavo. “Gli anni del Rigoletto.” Verdi3 (1969–1982): 1–26;
849–875; 1,517–1,543.
An elaborate genesis, featuring Verdi letters. Considers the character of the
duke in the opera and his possible real-life counterpart.
1916.Nuove prospettive nella ricerca verdiana. Atti del Congresso Internazionale in
Occasione della Prima del “Rigoletto” in Edizione Critica, Vienna, 12–13
marzo 1983.Ed. Marisa Di Gregorio Casati and Marcello Pavarani. Parma:
Istituto di Studi Verdiana; Milan: Ricordi, 1987. xii, 137p. ISBN 88-85065-
03-1. ML410 .V4 C68.
Summaries of 10 papers are given by Harwood (#1800), item 231. - Chusid, Martin. “The Tonality of Rigoletto.” In Analyzing Opera(#416),
241–261.
Identifies D-flat major—the key of Monterone’s curse—as the tonic, but dis-
tant keys (D, B, E) dominate act 3. Chusid has no explanation for this, other
than an extramusical one: events in the plot. He gives an elegant analysis of
“Caro nome” and the quartet, showing the parallel harmonic progressions.
Also notes that Verdi’s drafts present increasing clarity of tonal relationships. - Lawton, David. “Tonal Structure and Dramatic Action in Rigoletto.” Verdi
3-9 (1982); 1,559–1,581.
The keys of D-flat major and D major and their related tonalities are the basis
of the opera’s structure.
Giuseppe Verdi 357