Rigoletto

English text examples:

Act I (Questa o quella)

DUKE
     Does it matter
     That love is the game I live to play?
     On, my platter
     The rule is variety.

     Doing duty
     To beauty in full array,
     I can lend my love
     For only a day.

     Ladies likewise so fickle
     But charming, too --
     I adore you made the way you are.  Oh!
     Though I find one
     To tickle my fancy, by tomorrow,
     By tomorrow a dozen will do.

     Too confining,
     This notion of constancy!
     A haven for cowards
     Afraid of the open skies.
     To the craven
     A message I offer:
     In freedom's rapture lies
     The meaning of love.

     Jealous ravings of husbands or lovers
     I dismiss with a laugh and shrug the shoulder.
     My maneuvers become ever bolder,
     Ever bolder, ever bolder,
     Trading older for new.


Innocent Gilda is taken in by the Duke, who is passing
himself off as an impoverished student named Gualtier Malde.

GILDA
     Gualtier Malde!
     Dear name of my beloved,
     Deep within my heart
     Engraved forever....

     Far or near, the name alone
     Of the hero I adore
     Stirs a shy delight, unknown
     To the child I was before.

     On the wings of sweet desire
     To my love I long to fly,
     There to give my life entire
     Till I breathe a final sigh.


We learn more of the Duke's real opinion of the
infuriating yet delectable species known as "woman:"

DUKE
     Women are one and all
     Off again, on again,
     Here now then gone again,
     Ruled by caprices.

     Each a mere weathervane
     Spun by the breezes,
     Shifting and turning.
     Loving, then spurning.

     Burning, then freezing,
     Taunting and teasing,
     Fair but most pleasing
     Seen from afar.

     Though I would credit all
     Creatures of beauty,
     Mozart once said it all:
     COSI FAN TUTTE.

     Pity the worshipper
     Prone to surrender;
     Shame on the featherbrain
     Stung by that gender.

     Though I deplore them,
     Try to ignore them,
     Still I adore them --
     Just as they are.


Act IV (Quartet)

DUKE
     Ripe for love in youthful splendor,
     With your beauty you enslave me.
     From your lips a single word can save me;
     Grant a favor,
     Save a lover from despair.

     In my embraces, come surrender
     To the throbbing of desire.
     From your lips a single word can save me;
     Grant a favor,
     Save a lover from despair.

MADDELENA
     Rather silly, though amusing,
     And forgotten by tomorrow.

GILDA
     Torn apart, I weep in sorrow.

MADDELENA
     Little sleep will I be losing
     Over randy Romeo.

GILDA
     Overcome, my love is shattered.
     These same lies to me were uttered;
     He is not the man I know.
     All the magic mere illusion,
     All a masquerade.
     Coldly with my trusting heart he trifled;
     Love he played with, then betrayed.
     The man for whom my life existed
     Deals to me a mortal blow,
     And from the eyes that blindly trusted
     Only tears of sorrow flow.
     The tears now flow.
     My tears now flow.

RIGOLETTO
     Tears are now of no avail.
     Futile tears are now of no avail.
     There are other ways to go.
     Rank betrayal
     Calls for justice swift and certain.
     I myself shall bear the burden;
     I'll repay the debt I owe.
     A father's rage, alone, unaided,
     Will devise the fatal blow.
     I shall deal a fatal blow.
     Tonight I pay the debt I owe.

DUKE
     With a signal make me happy,
     And be as kind as you are fair.
     With your beauty you enslave me.
     From your lips a single word can save me;
     Grant a favor,
     Save a lover from despair.
     Give but a single hopeful sign.
     I entreat you, I implore you,
     Send a signal you are mine.
     Ah, surrender!
     Ah, let me worship and adore you!
     Give but a single hopeful sign,
     A message reading you are mine,
     That you are mine,
     All mine, all mine!

MADDELENA
     It's the old familiar story;
     Sympathize and you'll be sorry.
     Watch out, beware!
     Once again the same old story
     I have heard until I'm weary.
     Ha ha!  Ridiculous!  My word!
     Rather silly, though amusing
     And forgotten by tomorrow.
     Little sleep will I be losing --
     He is no concern of mine.
     Once again the same old story --
     He is feeding me a line.
     The same old story,
     The standard line.
     I say in turn,
     Your burning heart is no concern,
     Sir, of mine!