Tears Of A Clown

For centuries, the joy and comedy that clowns bring their audiences have often been fused with the dark underbelly of human emotions - despair, revenge, and rage. Ruggero Leoncavallo's operatic masterpiece Pagliacci does just that and is still widely performed thanks to its timeless, storytelling score. Experience its majesty in this production from the San Diego Opera, conducted by Yves Abel and directed by Christopher Mattaliano, with Jonathan Burton as the embittered Canio.

What Is The Story?

A truly dramatic tale of love and betrayal, Pagliacci revolves around the turbulent relationships between members of a Commedia del Arte troupe. As they perform for a rural Italian village, the lines between their show and their real lives become increasingly blurred, and a whirlwind of comedy and tragedy ensues.