Cavalleria Rusticana - Pagliacci - Live from the Zurich Opera House /

La Cavalleria rusticana di Pietro Mascagni ei Pagliacci di Ruggero Leoncavallo parlano al cuore e all'anima.

CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI ROYAL OPERA HOUSE 2019/20 /

Beniamino Gigli, Assisted by M. Picco and Minna Boener and the Metropolitan Opera Chorus in Three Numbers from 'Cavalleria Rusticana' / 1927

A Vitaphone recording of opera performer Beniamino Gigli.

Pagliacci / 1987

The story is set in southern Italy and recounts the tragedy of Canio, the lead clown (or pagliaccio in Italian) in a commedia dell'arte troupe, his wife Nedda, and her lover, Silvio. When Nedda spurns the advances of Tonio, another player in the troupe, he tells Canio about Nedda's betrayal. In a jealous rage Canio murders both Nedda and Silvio. Although Leoncavallo's opera was originally set in the late 1860's, Zeffirelli's production is updated to the period between World War I and World War II.