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Synopsis: Pagliacci

Prologue:

Tonio, an ugly and deformed clown, comes from behind the curtain to tell the audience members that the play they are about to see is a true story with real people.

Act 1

The small Italian village of Montalto during the late 19th century

A festival is in progress, and the villagers welcome a theatrical troupe.  Canio, the head of the traveling company, announces that there will be a performance that evening.  He invites his co-worker Tonio to come with him for a drink at the inn.  The clown refuses, however, and a villager suggests that Tonio would rather be with Canio’s wife, Nedda. Canio is momentarily upset by this, but he dismisses the idea.  The church bells summon the villagers to vespers, and the crowd disperses. Now alone, Nedda frets about Canio’s jealous outburst but, seeing birds in flight, she sings of their enviable freedom.  Tonio appears and tries to kiss Nedda, but she disgustedly drives him off. Nedda, who abhors her stage life and jealous husband, is courted by Silvio, a villager whom she already knows.  Tonio witnesses their tryst and summons Canio, but Silvio escapes before Canio gets a close look at him.  Canio demands to know the identity of the man, and when Nedda refuses to tell him he attacks her with a knife.  Beppe comes to her rescue. Canio, alone, is overcome at thought of Nedda’s infidelity and begins sobbing.  Now he must perform as a clown even though his heart is broken.

Act II

Villagers gather in the evening to see the troupe’s performance.  By coincidence, the play’s characters are involved in a situation very similar to what has gone on in the village that afternoon.  Harlequin (played by Beppe) sings to Columbine (Nedda) outside her window while her husband is away.  Taddeo (Tonio) enters and tries to make love to Columbine, but Harlequin climbs through the window and chases him away. Columbine’s husband, Pagliaccio (Canio), appears unexpectedly and interrupts her tryst with Harlequin, who escapes through the window. Suddenly Canio stops performing and demands to know who Nedda’s lover is. She refuses to name him, and he kills her with his knife.  From the audience, Silvio rushes onstage to help her, but he, too, is killed by Canio.