John Alldis Choir / London Symphony Orchestra
CD 1
Prologo · Prologue · Prolog
1 Introduzione 2.48
2 Si può? Si può? Tonio 5.07
Atto primo · Act One · Acte un · Erster Akt
Scena I · Scene 1 · Scène 1 · 1. Szene
3 Son qua! Ritornano … Un grande spettacolo a ventitré ore 2.50
Contadini, contadine, Canio, Peppe
4 Mi accordan di parlar? … Un grande spettacolo a ventitré ore 1.42
Canio, contadini, contadine
5 Via di lì Canio, Tonio, Un Contadino, Peppe, contadini, ragazzi 1.24
6 Un tal gioco, credetemi, è meglio non giocarlo Canio, Nedda, contadini 3.01
7 I zampognari! … Don, din, don Ragazzi, contadine, contadini, Canio 4.23
Scena II · Scene 2 · Scène 2 · 2. Szene
8 Qual fiamma avea nel guardo! Nedda 2.34
9 Stridono lassù Nedda 2.17
10 Sei là! Credea che te ne fossi andato Nedda, Tonio 4.52
Scena III · Scene 3 · Scène 3 · 3. Szene
11 Nedda! — Silvio, a quest’ora, che imprudenza Silvio, Nedda, Tonio 7.14
12 E allor perché, di’, tu m’hai stregato Silvio, Nedda 3.50
Scena IV · Scene 4 · Scène 4 · 4. Szene
13 Cammina adagio e li sorprenderai Tonio, Silvio, Nedda, Canio 4.46
14 Recitar! … Vesti la giubba Canio 4.05
15 Intermezzo 3.35
Atto secondo · Act Two · Acte deux · Zweiter Akt
Scena I · Scene 1 · Scène 1 · 1. Szene
16 Ohè!… Ohè! Presto, affrettiamoci 4.04
Contadine, contadini, Tonio, Peppe, Silvio, Nedda
Scena II · Scene 2 · Scène 2 · 2. Szene
17 Pagliaccio, mio marito, a tarda notte sol ritornerà Colombina 1.47
18 O Colombina, il tenero fido Arlecchin è a te vicin! Arlecchino 1.44
19 Di fare il segno convenuto appressa l’istante Colombina, Taddeo, Arlecchino 6.03
Scena finale · Final Scene · Scène final · Letzte Szene
Versa il filtro ne la tazza sua Arlecchino
20 A stanotte, e per sempre io sarò tua! — Nome di Dio! Quelle stesse parole! 2.39
Canio, Nedda, Tonio
21 No, Pagliaccio non son Canio, Silvio, contadini, contadine 2.47
22 Ebben, se mi giudichi di te indegna, mi scaccia 3.16
Nedda, Canio, Silvio, Peppe, contadini, contadine
SYNOPSIS
The scene is in Montalto, in Calabria. It is mid-August.
Prologue
2 Tonio enters through the closed curtain and, begging the audiences’ permission, warns that they are about to see players in a fragment from live, not a drama involving false tears and characters without hearts.
Act One
3 When the curtain opens, it is a holiday — the Feast of the Assumption — and gaily dressed villagers rush to the town square where a crude stage has been erected by the travelling troupe of clowns. The troupe comes down the road. Peppe, dressed as Arlecchino, leads a donkey drawing a brightly painted cart; Nedda relaxes in the cart; and Canio, leader of the troupe dressed as Pagliaccio, walks behind. 4 As they approach the theatre Canio silences the crowd and announces the evening’s performance. 5 He turns to help his wife down from the cart, but Tonio, the misshapen clown, is there before him, much to the amusement of the crowd. Canio pays him for this with a hearty box on the ear, and Tonio slinks off behind the stage, muttering to himself as he goes.
A villager invites the performers for a drink. Canio calls to Tonio to join them, but the latter chooses to remain. Another villager jestingly hints that Tonio prefers to stay behind Nedda, 6 a joke that provokes an ominous reaction from Canio. Nedda understands the cause of her husband’s doubts, but she is troubled that he should mention them.
7 Bagpipers pass by, and church bells are heard ringing in the village. The crowd heads off in that direction; Nedda is left alone. 8–9 Forgetting her unhappy lot, she muses on the freedom of the birds. 10 She is interrupted by the unwelcome appearance of Tonio, who could not resist her singing. Although he is deformed, he cannot help loving her. Nedda repulses him, but he does not relent until she strikes him with a whip. He goes off vowing vengeance.
11 No sooner has he gone than Nedda’s lover, Silvio, approaches. She is alarmed at seeing him in broad daylight, but he reassures her, for he saw Canio and Peppe at the tavern. Nedda tells him of Tonio’s threats, but Silvio consoles her with pleas of his own love. He begs her to run away with him, but Nedda remains fearful. 12 He reproaches her for her coldness until she consents to go. 13 They are aware only of each other and fail to observe Canio, who, warned by Tonio, approaches in time to hear Nedda saying she will belong to Silvio forever. Canio reveals his presence and Silvio disappears over the wall as the clown, who has not seen his face, runs to follow him. Nedda bars the way but Canio, is finally able to follow the stranger over the wall, although he is too late. Tonio watches the scene with relish, exclaiming that he will do better next time, as Canio returns exhausted and trembling with anger.
He commands his wife to identify her lover, but Nedda refuses. Wild with jealousy, he rushes at her with drawn dagger. Peppe returns unobserved, and sucessfully holds Canio back. People will soon arrive for the performance, he tells Canio, and they must all dress. Nedda disappears into the wagon to change, and the others proceed with their work. 14 Canio remains, tearfully considering his fate.
15 Intermezzo
Act Two
16 The hour appointed for the performance has arrived, and Tonio beats the drum to summon villagers to the square where the theatre is prepared. Silvio arrives amid the throng, greeting his friends as they take seats. When the commotion subsides, the play begins. 17 Nedda is alone on the stage, which is set as a small room with two doors, a window, a table and two chairs. Dressed as Colombina, she seems to be awaiting someone, and informs the audience that her husband will not return until late that evening. 18 From outside comes the sound of guitar, and she rushes to the window, where Arlecchino is serenading her.
19 Before Arlecchino can enter, however, Taddeo arrives. He tries to declare his love for Colombina, but she demands the chicken she sent him to fetch. He kneels before her, holding up the fowl as an offering of his devotion. Arlecchino interrupts, and leads Taddeo out by the ear. The lovers are then free to enjoy themselves until Taddeo reappears, warning them that Pagliaccio, is coming. The lovers simulate alarm and Arlecchino leaps through the window. 20 –21 Colombina calls after him with the same words she had spoken earlier to Silvio, a coincidence that helps Canio to forget his role of Pagliaccio. Telling her he is not acting, Canio demands her lover’s name. 22 Nedda tries to resume the play, but her merriment only further enrages Canio. The audience laughs, but slowly the villagers realize that this is not a play. Peppe appears in the background and would interfere, but Tonio craftily holds him back. Unbalanced by his anger and jealousy when Nedda continually denies him the name, Canio rushes at her with his knife. Silvio has drawn his dagger, but is held back by villagers unaware of his predicament. Canio stabs his wife, and in desperation she calls for Silvio. At last he has the name, and as Silvio breaks loose and rushes toward Nedda, Canio stabs him as well. Then, as though stupefied, he lets the knife fall, and addressing his audience for the last time, Canio says with bitter irony, “The comedy is finished”.