KEEPING
THE SCORE
LIKE ANY GOOD ARTIST, Verdi knew the importance of sus
pense and surprise, so much so
hat he even kept his performers n the dark. During the rehearsals or Rigoletto, the tenor realized hat his part was missing from he score; he kept reminding the omposer, who always replied, airily: “Oh, I will give it to you in time.” In fact, the tenor vvas only given the score the night before the premiere and was told to practice in secret. Why? Be cause the piece would be his most famous aria:
“La donna 6 mobile” (“The Woman is Fickle” ) which
Verdi had sensed— rightlywould become a smash hit,
COSTUME FOR THE ROLE OF THE DUKE OF MANTUA, IN THE OPERA DE PARIS PRODUCTION OF VERDI’S 5351 OPERA, MOTO.