CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA/ PAGLIACCI

Where: Benedum Center, at the corner of 7th Street and Penn Ave, downtown Pittsburgh 

When:

• Saturday, November 9, 2024  * 8:00 PM- ~10:45 PM (approx. end time)
• Tuesday, November 12, 2024  * 7:00 PM- ~9:45 PM (approx. end time)
• Friday, November 15, 2024  * 7:30 PM- ~10:15 PM (approx. end time)
• Sunday, November 17, 2024  * 2:00 PM- ~4:45 PM (approx. end time)

Cavalleria Rusticana:

Pagliacci:

Conductor: Antony Walker 
Stage Director: Daniel Rigazzi
Scenic Designer: Steven C. Kemp
Costume Designer: Edward Kotanen
Wig and Make-up Designer: James Geier
Lighting Designer: Cindy Limauro
Stage Manager: Cindy Knight
Assistant Conductor: Glenn Lewis
Chorus Master: Mark Trawka
Associate Coach/Pianist: James Lesniak
Resident Artist Pianist:  Maeve Berry*
Assistant Stage Director: Dana Kinney*
Assistant Stage Managers:  Bee Anderson, Tess Naval

<sub>+    Pittsburgh Opera debut
*    Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist
**   Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist alumni</sub>

CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA

A village in Sicily, circa 1900. At dawn on Easter Sunday, Turiddu sings in the distance of his love for Lola, wife of the carter Alfio. She and Turiddu had been a couple before he joined the army. When he returned and found her married to Alfio, he seduced Santuzza but now has abandoned her and rekindled his relationship with Lola. Later in the morning, a distraught Santuzza approaches the tavern of Mamma Lucia, Turiddu’s mother, who tells her that her son is away buying wine. But Santuzza knows that Turiddu has been seen during the night in the village. Alfio arrives with a group of men, boasting of his horses—and of Lola. He asks Mamma Lucia if she has any more of her good wine. When she says that Turiddu has gone to get more, Alfio replies that he saw him near his house that same morning. Lucia is surprised, but Santuzza tells her to keep quiet. As the villagers follow the procession to church, Santuzza stays behind and pours out her grief about Turiddu to Mamma Lucia. The old woman expresses her pity, then also leaves for Mass. Turiddu arrives in the piazza. When Santuzza confronts him about his affair with Lola, he denies her accusations. Just then Lola passes by on her way to church. She mocks Santuzza, and Turiddu turns to follow her. Santuzza begs him to stay and implores him not to abandon her. Refusing to listen, Turiddu leaves, and Santuzza curses him. Alfio appears, late for Mass. Santuzza tells him that Lola went to church with Turiddu and reveals that she has been cheating on him. In a rage, Alfio swears to get even and rushes off, leaving behind the now conscience-stricken Santuzza.

Returning from the church the villagers gather at Mamma Lucia’s tavern. Turiddu leads them in a drinking song, but the atmosphere becomes tense when Alfio appears. He refuses Turiddu’s offer of wine and instead challenges him to a knife fight. Turiddu admits his guilt but is determined to go through with the fight, for Santuzza’s sake as well as for his honor. The two men agree to meet outside the village. Alone with his mother, Turiddu begs her to take care of Santuzza if he doesn’t come back, then runs off to the fight. As Mamma Lucia waits anxiously, shouts are heard in the distance. A woman runs in screaming that Turiddu has been killed.

PAGLIACCI

PROLOGUE

Tonio the clown announces that what the audience is about to see is a true story and that actors have the same joys and sorrows as other people.

ACT I

The same Sicilian village, 1949. A small theatrical company has just arrived and Canio, the head of the troupe, advertises the night’s performance to the gathered crowd. One of the villagers suggests that Tonio is secretly courting Canio’s young wife, Nedda. Canio warns them all that he will not tolerate any flirting offstage—life and theater are not the same. As the crowd disperses, Nedda is left alone, disturbed by her husband’s jealousy. She looks up to the sky, envying the birds their freedom. Tonio appears and tries to force himself on Nedda, but she beats him back, and he retreats, swearing revenge. In fact, Nedda does have a lover—Silvio, a young peasant, who suddenly appears. The two reaffirm their love, and Silvio persuades Nedda to run away with him that night. Tonio, who has returned and overheard the end of their conversation, alerts Canio, but Silvio manages to slip away unrecognized. Canio violently threatens Nedda, but she refuses to reveal her lover’s name. Beppe, another member of the troupe, restrains Canio, and Tonio advises him to wait until the evening’s performance to catch the culprit. Alone, Canio gives in to his despair—he must play the clown even though his heart is breaking.

ACT II

That evening, the villagers assemble to watch the performance, Silvio among them. Beppe plays Harlequin, who serenades Columbine, played by Nedda. He dismisses her buffoonish servant Taddeo, played by Tonio, and over dinner the two sweethearts plot to poison Columbine’s husband Pagliaccio, played by Canio. When Pagliaccio unexpectedly appears, Harlequin slips away. Taddeo maliciously assures Pagliaccio of his wife’s innocence, which ignites Canio’s jealousy. Forgetting his role and the play, he demands that Nedda tell him the name of her lover. She tries to continue with the performance, the audience enthralled by its realism, until Canio snaps. In a fit of rage he stabs Nedda and then Silvio, who rushes to her aid. Turning to the horrified crowd, Tonio announces that the comedy is over.

Courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera

We want you to have the best experience possible at our performances!

Here are some details and resources to help. Also visit our Opera FAQs or our Accessibility page.

• Run time: 2 hrs 45 min (includes one 25-minute intermission)
• Understand Every Word: Understand Every Word: Both operas are sung in Italian, but English supertitles are projected above the stage
• Parking Downtown: get real-time parking availability
• Pre-Opera Talks before each performance
• Braille Programs available at The Benedum Center
• Large-Print Programs available at The Benedum Center
• Download the Study Guide for Cavalleria Rusticana
• Download the Study Guide for Pagliacci

CHILD POLICY:

• Children must be ages 6 and up. Suggestions and tips for bringing children to the opera may be found at pittsburghopera.org/FAQ.
• All children must have a ticket. There is a 50% discount for kids and teens ages 6-18.

• Review: onStage Pittsburgh - Grand Performances by Singers, Orchestra, Chorus, Acrobats and More
• Review: Entertainment Central Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Opera Doubles the Fun with ‘Cavalleria Rusticana’ and ‘Pagliacci’ at Benedum
• Review: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette -An operatic double-billing cloaks small-town adultery and murder in sweet Italian music 
• Opera Wire: Pittsburgh Opera to Present Verismo Double Bill ‘Cavalleria Rusticana’ & ‘Pagliacci’
• Entertainment Central Pittsburgh: What Makes a Legend?
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Think you can sing? Pittsburgh Opera’s paid chorus is like a ‘second family’
• Butler Eagle: Cabot native to reprise role from start of opera career
• onStage Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh Opera to Present Famous Operatic ‘Twins’ for the First Time in Nearly Thirty Years
• WESA-FM: What to do in Pittsburgh this weekend
• WQED-FM Voice of the Arts Podcast:
  • Sebastian Catana (Alfio/Tonio)
  • Maestro Antony Walker
  • Caitlin Gotimer (Nedda)
  • Marianne Cornetti (Mamma Lucia)
• City Paper: Pittsburgh’s top events: Nov. 7-13
• NEXTpittsburgh: 10 things to do this weekend
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend
• NewsPub: What to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Nov. 8-10

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has implemented new security and bag policies, effective starting October 1, 2016, at the Benedum Center and their other venues.

You can read their Safety & Security statement, which includes an updated list of prohibited items, and read their Bag Policy, on their website.