Portret van de bariton Heinrich Schlusnus, als Rigoletto in de opera Rigoletto 1929

Karl Schenker made this photograph of the baritone Heinrich Schlusnus as Rigoletto in the opera Rigoletto, sometime in the early twentieth century. It shows Schlusnus in costume, holding a scepter, in the guise of the tragic court jester. This image taps into a rich vein of cultural anxieties around the figure of the jester, whose role was to entertain but also to speak truth to power. The opera, set in 16th-century Italy, critiques aristocratic excess and abuse, a theme that resonated strongly in Europe at the time, particularly Germany, which was undergoing rapid social and political change. Photography at the time provided an important means of distributing and popularizing opera, reaching audiences beyond the elite opera houses. Understanding this image requires us to delve into the social history of opera, the role of celebrity culture, and the visual codes through which power and subversion were represented. Resources in theater and photography archives can help us understand its meaning within the cultural landscape of its time.