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Rigoletto：2021
A reinterpreted version of the Italian opera Rigoletto under a late 19th Century Chinese social context. It's my junior thesis project, pretty experimental and inmature, hope you have fun viewing it though!
Click the image to read the full description for each piece.
This is an illustrated Late Qing dynasty version of Giuseppe Verdi's opera Rigoletto. I drew this piece to explain the story background. In this image, Rigoletto spilled water on the dark floor with a teapot, and the water wet the green dressed woman’s shoes. Three servant in blue are fixing the problem. The duke is holding a shoe showing to the woman. This action implies seduction because women’s feet and shoes still remains an inexplicit sexual meaning in late 19th century China. (The shoes are tiny because they are for bound feet)
“The festivities are interrupted by the arrival of the elderly Count Monterone, whose daughter the Duke had seduced. Rigoletto provokes him further by making fun of his helplessness to avenge his daughter's honor.”(Text extracted from Wikipedia, Rigoletto Plot Summary)
“The festivities are interrupted by the arrival of the elderly Count Monterone, whose daughter the Duke had seduced. Rigoletto provokes him further by making fun of his helplessness to avenge his daughter's honor.”(Text extracted from Wikipedia, Rigoletto Plot Summary)
Rigoletto came to the place he hides his daughter Gilda. They greet each other, Rigoletto was plagued by the curse of Monterone, Gilda found Rigoletto was upset. I drew the loosened wire on the orchid to imply Gilda's mind is gradually drifting out of Rigoletto's control.
The Duke followed Gilda to her residence. He told Gilda that he was a poor student. Gilda believed it and fell in love with him.
In this scene, Gilda found that her father might have turned back, so she had to send the Duke to go through the window. I drew the boots and clothes hiding on the tree, and the jade ornament hanging on the man's pants to reveal the actual identity of the Duke.
In this scene, Gilda found that her father might have turned back, so she had to send the Duke to go through the window. I drew the boots and clothes hiding on the tree, and the jade ornament hanging on the man's pants to reveal the actual identity of the Duke.
Rigoletto met the courtiers outside the walled garden. The courtiers told Rigoletto that they are abducting the Countess Ceprano. While actually, the person they are abducting is Rigoletto's daughter Gilda. Rigoletto saw that the courtiers are masked and asks for a mask for himself. The courtiers blindfold Rigoletto when tying the mask onto his face.
In my interpretation, I make Rigoletto's mask remains with solid, un-hollowed eyes to show he is blindfolded. I looked at the masks in the traditional Peking opera as reference, especially those masks indicating insidious and sly personalities.
In my interpretation, I make Rigoletto's mask remains with solid, un-hollowed eyes to show he is blindfolded. I looked at the masks in the traditional Peking opera as reference, especially those masks indicating insidious and sly personalities.
Rigoletto's daughter was tarnished by the duke, so he found the killer he had met before and hired him to kill the Duke as a revenge.
This scene shows Rigoletto dealing with the killer. At midnight, Rigoletto arrives with money, the assassin trade him the dead body of the duke. I make the composition to focus on the reflection in order to create the sense of obscure.
This scene shows Rigoletto dealing with the killer. At midnight, Rigoletto arrives with money, the assassin trade him the dead body of the duke. I make the composition to focus on the reflection in order to create the sense of obscure.
“Bewildered, Rigoletto opens the sack and, to his despair, discovers his dying daughter. For a moment, she revives and declares she is glad to die for her beloved: "V'ho ingannato" ("Father, I deceived you"). She dies in his arms. Rigoletto cries out in horror: "La maledizione!" ("The curse!")”
(Text extracted from Wikipedia, Rigoletto Plot Summary)
(Text extracted from Wikipedia, Rigoletto Plot Summary)
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