Pagliacci

"Pagliacci" is a one-act Italian opera by Ruggero Leoncavallo that explores themes of love, jealousy, and deception. It tells the story of a traveling circus performer, Canio, who suspects his wife Nedda of infidelity. Driven by intense emotion, Canio's anguish leads him to confront and ultimately kill Nedda during a performance, blurring the line between reality and theater. The opera is renowned for its emotional intensity, especially the famous "Clown’s Song," and captures the tragic consequences of passion and betrayal beneath a surface of comedy.