Pagliacci
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About
Pagliacci (translated into English as Clowns, or Players) is a tragic opera by Italian composer Ruggero Leoncavallo which is usually paired in performance with the opera Cavalleria Rusticana, another famed opera by the same composer. Like Cavalleria, the story of Pagliacci highlights the themes of love and jealousy, told this time through the tragedy of a clown whose jealousy over his wife consumes him, forcing him to suffer in silence as a result of his occupation. The opera's most popular aria is considered by many to be "Vesti la giubba" (most popularly known in English as "On with the motley") which was recorded by Enrico Caruso in 1904 - becoming the first record in history to sell over one million copies. The opera can also be seen as being responsible for popularizing the "sad clown" archetype in popular culture, and consistently achieves high placements on lists that rank the world's more frequently-performed operas.
