Livermore Valley Opera's 18th Season

"Cavalleria Rusticana" & "Pagliacci"
October, 2009

Cavalleria Rusticana (Rustic Chivalry) by Mascagni and Pagliacci (Clowns) by Leoncavallo, affectionately called “Cav and Pag,” are usually presented together.  Both are outstanding examples of what verismo opera is - vignettes of life of ordinary people with their love, jealousy, and violent, raw passion. 

In Cavalleria Rusticana, Turridu, a soldier, returns to find out that his true love, Lola, has married Alfio.  After a short fling with Santuzza, he renews his affair with Lola.  Santuzza pleads with Turridu but he scorns her. Santuzza reveals the affair to Alfio who swears vengeance.  What results is murderous passion.

With Pagliacci, we witness a “play within a play.”  Canio, the clown, discovers that his wife,Nedda, has a secret lover.  In anguish, he realizes that his performance that is about to come is a mirror of what is happening with his own life.  As Canio prepares for his act, he sings his famous laugh-clown-laugh aria, “Vesti la giubba.”  He must amuse though his heart is breaking for the show must go on.

"Die Fledermaus"
March, 2010