Rigoletto (2005)

At the court of Mantua, no woman is safe from seduction by the young Duke, and no husband is safe from the taunts of Rigoletto, his jester. Count Monterone attacks the Duke for seducing his daughter and curses both the Duke and Rigoletto as he is taken to prison. Knowing the ways of the world, Rigoletto keeps his own beautiful daughter, Gilda, hidden at home, but the word is out. Marullo and the courtiers assume she must be his mistress and plan to kidnap her; they do not know that the Duke, disguised as a student, “Gualtier Malde,” has already declared his love for her.

On his way home that night, Rigoletto is troubled by Monterone’s curse. He is accosted by Sparafucile, who offers his services as an assassin. Rigoletto muses on their different modes of killing—by the knife or the spoken word.
Gilda has not confessed her love for “Gualtier Malde” to her father. The courtiers deceive Rigoletto into thinking they are going to break into Ceprano’s house next door; they blindfold him and carry Gilda away to the palace. Rigoletto realizes too late that Monterone’s curse is taking effect.

The courtiers gloat over their success; the Duke exults that Gilda is in his power. Rigoletto suffers the courtiers’ mockery and realizes what has happened when Gilda, distraught and ruined, runs into his arms. She tries in vain to turn her father’s thoughts away from vengeance.

Rigoletto has hired Sparafucile to murder the Duke when he comes to visit Maddalena at Sparafucile’s house. Maddalena, unaware of the Duke’s identity, falls for him and bargains with her brother to kill the next visitor to their inn instead.

Gilda, dressed as a boy, has agreed to flee Mantua with her father; they both witness the Duke’s faithlessness as he seduces Maddalena. When, at the height of the storm, he goes with Maddalena into her bedroom, Gilda, still in love with him and knowing what the assassins have planned, is determined to save her lover and demands admittance to the inn.

Sparafucile stabs her and hands the body over to Rigoletto in a sack, but at that moment, the Duke’s voice is heard serenading Maddalena. Rigoletto’s worst fears are confirmed. Gilda dies in his arms—Monterone’s curse has been fulfilled.