Pagliacci

Together with Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci is considered to be the representation of musical realism. The libretto, written by Ruggero Leoncavallo himself, was based on current affairs at the time, a passionate crime which actually took place in Montalto Uffugo, a town in Calabria where the composer lived in his youth. Staged at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan on 21 May 1892 and conducted by Arturo Toscanini, the opera quickly became famous all around the world. The popular setting, where violent feelings are represented by a convulsive vocalism, serves as a backdrop to the dramatic jealousy of Canio, the manager of a travelling theatre company.