Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-01

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finale.
The Dramatis Personae.
The troupe Of actors In the opera
is a group Of strolling players pop
ular in Italy for many years. There
is the dashing, pretty leading lady,
Media; her fiery husband, Canio,
the hunchback; Tonic, who loves
her and because of her ridicule
plans to revenge himself on her, and
Peppe, the assistant. They have
come to entertain the villagers
on the feast day of the Assumption
with a play wherein they assume
the characters of Columbine, Pag-
haccio. Taddeo and the Harlequin.
In the stage audience sits Silvio,
lover of Media, whom he has urged
to run away with him and who has
agreed TO meet him that night.
Shortly after the arrival of the
troupe, Canio, told by Tonic of the
state Of affairs between Media and
Silvio, overhears the lovers VOWS
and, mad with jealousy and despair,
sings the famous aria and sobs
break his voice as he bids himself,
Laugh then, Pagliacci, for your
love that is broken. Hide your grief.
play the part. The people pay and
they must have their fun" The
hunchback laughs as Peppe leads
Media away from her enraged hus-
band. yet all know that the end has
not been reached.
The villagers, among them Silyio,
gather with much testing and seat
themselves on the rustic benches
before the little stage. The curtains
part and the play, which always
ends with the triumph of the lover
and the discomfort of the husband,
begins. But something is wrong.
Harlequin serenades his lady love
and climbs through the window to
embrace her. A warning comes
from Taddeo that Pagliacci has
returned. Then enters Canio. pale
beneath his Pagliacci makeup. dis
traught. yet madoened by the SIM
ilarity of the play to his own trag.
edy. He speaks the familiar lines,
but there is new meaning to them.
The audience is uneasy as 1t sees
the unwonted fury of Pagliacci as
he demands her lovers name of
Columbine. One says to another:
ut seems like truth, this acting
Think you they mean it?" Then, as
Columbine tries to get back to the
play by jestingly answering "Pagli-
acci,' the clown throws aside all
pretense and sings mo. Pagliacci
no more. am a man again, with
aching heart and anguish deep and
human"
Media Tries to Escape.
There is no mistaking the serious
ness of his second demand for her
lovers name, and the villagers rise
to their feet. Media, terrified, tries
TO escape in the crowd, but Canio
stabs her and, as with her last
breath she calls to Silvio. the clown
strikes him down also. Then facing
the aghast audience, he mutters,
The comedy is ended"
Leoncavallo was in demand every
where following the overwhelming
success of his opera. He was brought
to this country in 1918 by Fortune
Gallo, director of the San Carlo
Opera Co. which played here last
season. Mr. Gallo then was director
of the Pacific Coast Metropolitan
Opera and 1t was in San Francisco
that Leoncavallo conducted "Pagh-
accl" and "Zaza," another of his
works. frequently during the 10
week season. While in California Mr..
Gallo suggested to the composer that
it might be a good idea to arrange
with the motion picture producers to
screen "Pagliacci." Sound filming
had not been invented at that time,
but Leoncavallo saw the possibilities
of it in the future. He vetoed the
suggestion, saying: ITO photograph
'Pagliacci' would be a mistake The
motion picture will yet be made with
sound; then the music can be pro-
duced. which is the only way to
screen opera. The day will come
when motion pictures will employ
music
His Words Come True.
Mr. Gallo never forgot what the
composer had said and in 1880 was
able to make a film of "Pagliacci"
with music, the first full-length
sound picture of grand opera. The
film had months run in New York
and was seen in a dozen American
cities and had European releases.
Leoncavallo was short in stature
and gave fierce appearance, due to
a long mustache, which he wore
curled up at the ends. In reality he
was of keenly sensitive nature and
a finely nodded temperament. He
was as cultured in literature as in
music, having specialized in the
study of it along with his music.
He knew great reverses when he was
reduced to earning living playing
the piano in cafes through Europe
from London to Cairo, Egypt.