Act I
During a ball at the Duke of Mantua’s, the latter confesses to Borsa, a courtier, his desire to seduce a young girl he has seen in church, then jumps to courting Countess Ceprano. Rigoletto, the Duke’s court jester, is ever ready to support his master’s philandering; he makes a joke of the Countess’s spouse. Meanwhile, Marullo announces an astonishing discovery of Rigoletto’s having a mistress. Determined to make the jester pay for his mockery, Count Ceprano suggest that the courtiers should abduct the mistress in question. The ball is suddenly interrupted by Count Monterone, who promises to revenge the Duke for having dishonoured his daughter and curses the sneering jester.
Rigoletto goes home, pondering on the curse. On his way, he meets Sparafucile, an assassin who offers him his services. Rigoletto compares their two professions: the assassin uses his sword where the jester uses his word.
At home, Rigoletto is reunited with his daughter Gilda who lives in solitude, allowed only to go to church. Her father’s only treasure, Gilda is kept away from strangers and unwanted questions. Rigoletto doesn’t know that the Duke has been spying on the mysterious unknown beauty and has now discovered her identity. When Rigoletto leaves, Gilda confesses to her maid Giovanna that she has met a very seductive young man in church. The Duke appears, passing himself off as a student named Gualtier Maldè, and wins Gilda’s heart with his charm.
The courtiers mistake Gilda for Rigoletto’s mistress. Having met the jester, they pretend to be abducting Ceprano’s wife. Rigoletto joins them, and when he understands it was his own daughter that he helped to abduct, it is already too late. Dismayed, the jester thinks of Monterone’s curse.
Act II
The Duke is lamenting that the young woman he coveted has been abducted, but the courtiers bring him Gilda, still mistaken for Rigoletto’s mistress. The jester himself comes to the palace. Masking his despair, Rigoletto searches for his daughter. Eventually, he fails to control his feelings and first admonishes the courtiers wrathfully, then switches to begging them for mercy. Gilda then appears before her father, tries to console him and confesses she is in love with the Duke.
Monterone reappears: he is arrested and will be jailed. Rigoletto promises to avenge him.
Act III
Rigoletto and Gilda are outside the tavern where the Duke is courting Maddalena, the sister of Sparafucile. Rigoletto is determined to show his daughter the true nature of her seducer and then send her off to Verona. He has hired Sparafucile to kill the Duke and gives him an advance payment, promising to pay the rest afterwards.
A storm is rising. When the Duke falls asleep, Maddalena begs his brother to spare him. Sparafucile ends up accepting, on the condition he will have another victim: whoever would knock at their door before midnight. Gilda, who disobeyed her father and stayed, overhears their discussion and decides to sacrifice herself out of love. Rigoletto arrives to collect his enemy’s body. The jester rejoices in his vengeance. Suddenly, the Duke’s voice is heard in the distance. Terrified, Rigoletto discovers that he is carrying his own wounded daughter instead of the dead foe. Gilda begs her father to pardon her and dies in his arms. Grief-stricken, Rigoletto cries out: “La maledizione!” (The Curse!).
