Leoncavallo

In 1994, the same Metropolitan Opera put two contrasting pieces of the verismo puzzle side by side—the belated verismo of Puccini’s Il Tabarro and the classic verismo of Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci, which had reached the stage some twenty-six years earlier.

Cavalleria Rusticana: Magnificently sung, subtly played and dramatically acted… The passion of Sicily, fanned into a bonfire by one of the world's most brilliant conductors and great cast (New York Post).
Pagliacci: An interpretation of exceptionally strong emotions and artistic quality (Il Giorno). Vickers is outstanding, delivering 'Vesti la giubba' with unusual sensitivity and admirable restraint. Kabaivanska and Glossop are also impressive (New York Times).

The great Italian stage and screen director Franco Zeffirelli made these widely acclaimed films, both starring Plácido Domingo. with Georges Prêtre conducting the Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala. Pagliacci, which co-stars the great singing actress Teresa Stratas, brought Zeffirelli the coveted Emmy as Best Director in the category of Classical Music Programming. Cavalleria was filmed on location in Sicily, which adds immeasurably to the power and atmosphere of this timeless story of love, honour, justice, and violence.

Voici une représentation filmée au Teatro Filarmonico de Vérone en février 2002 dans une mise en scène de la famille Alagna. Paillasse (en italien Pagliacci, qui signifie « Les clowns ») est un opéra en deux actes écrit et composé par Ruggero Leoncavallo, créé le 21 mai 1892 au Teatro Dal Verme à Milan. L’opéra évoque, à travers la vie d'une troupe de commedia dell'arte, la condition des comédiens de théâtre qui doivent en toute circonstance faire bonne figure en scène, quelles que soient les difficultés de leur vie privée.

As comparably short operas Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci are often billed together, but seldom is the lead tenor making his double role debut as Turiddu and Canio on the same evening. At the 2015 Salzburg Easter Festival Jonas Kaufmann did just that – to rapturous praise. Universally hailed as a coup for Kaufmann, plaudits were also showered on Philipp Stölzl for his innovative compartmentalized staging which included live video projections while referencing the era of black-and-white movies.

Plácido Domingo accomplishes the rare feat of singing both lead roles on the same night in opera's most popular double-bill. James Levine conducts the tenor in Franco Zeffirelli's classic production, opposite the superb singing actors Tatiana Troyanos, Teresa Stratas, and Sherrill Milnes.

A remarkable 1954 RAI production starring a young Franco Corelli and the incomparable Tito Gobbi, with Mafalda Micheluzzi as Nedda and Lino Puglisi as Silvio. Orchestra and Chorus of Radiotelevisione Italiana under the direction of Alfredo Simonetto. DVD also includes Corelli in arias from Carmen, Aida, Il Trovatore, Cavalleria Rusticana, and the Verdi Requiem.