Rigoletto goes on trial Oct. 17 at SU College of Law

Rigoletto goes on trial Oct. 17 at SU College of LawOctober 16, 2007Jaime Winne Alvarezjlwinne@syr.edu

Syracuse Opera will try Rigoletto, a hunchback and jester in the palace of the Duke of Mantua, Wednesday, Oct. 17, at Syracuse University College of Law as part of a dramatic mock trial staging before the curtain rises on the company’s performance of “Rigoletto” later this month. The trial will take place at 5:15 p.m. in the Bond, Schoeneck & King Courtroom in MacNaughton Hall. It is free and open to the public. Discounted parking is available in the Irving Garage. Patrons must mention the Syracuse Opera mock trial.

The rules of evidence used by the New York State Bar Association High School Mock Trial Competition will be used during the trial. According to the indictment, Rigoletto hired known criminal Sparafucile to kill Rigoletto’s employer, the Duke of Mantua. The prosecution claims that Rigoletto’s motive was to avenge the duke’s alleged rape of Gilda. Sparafucile has been cooperating with police in exchange for a plea at sentencing. Sparafucile’s sister, Maddalena, a known prostitute and accomplice to many of his crimes, was present when Gilda was murdered. Maddalena is also cooperating with police.

Eric Johnson, a faculty member in SU’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) and head of VPA’s Opera Workshop, will portray Sparafucile at the trial. Johnson, a bass, portrays the character in the Syracuse Opera production “Rigoletto” Oct. 26 and 28 at the John H. Mulroy Civic Center. Witnesses in the case will be played by SU students in the Opera Workshop who are also involved in the upcoming opera. They include sophomores Emily Wells as Maddalena, Ricardo Horsey as the Duke of Mantua and freshman Samuel Emanuel as Rigoletto.

Onondaga County Court Judge the Hon. Anthony F. Aloi will preside. Eloise Rogers and Gloria Aldrich of Jordan-Elbridge High School’s Mock Trial Team will prosecute. Nicholas Vozzo and Tonya Murphy of Bishop Ludden High School’s Mock Trial Team will defend Rigoletto.