Pagliacci

Pagliacci (Italian for "Clowns") is an opera in two acts by Ruggero Leoncavallo. The composer also wrote the Italian libretto. A cornerstone of the verismo movement in late 19th‑century Italian opera, it emphasizes raw emotion and contemporary, everyday characters. The work premiered on 21 May 1892 at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan and quickly entered the standard repertory, where it remains widely performed.

Plot and characters revolve around Canio, the leader of a traveling commedia dell’arte troupe, who discovers that his wife Nedda is having an affair with Silvio. Jealousy and deception unfold as the troupe travels from town to town, culminating during a staged performance when Canio, in his Pagliaccio persona, carries out a violent revenge on Nedda and Silvio. The drama explores themes of passion, betrayal, and the collapse of illusion between stage and real life.

Music and legacy: Pagliacci is renowned for its compact, direct dramatic structure and its expressive vocal writing, including the famous aria Vesti la giubba, in which Canio laments preparing to perform while his emotions rage inside. The opera is frequently paired with Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana in performances and recordings, a combination that helped define the verismo repertory. It has been widely recorded and staged around the world, influencing later productions and the broader portrayal of psychological realism in opera.