Arts Alive San Antonio

BY JASMINA WELLINGHOFF, Editor

Love, jealousy and betrayal are timeless themes in life and in art. In one form or another, they frequently pop up in opera, usually “wrapped” in beautiful music and grand arias.

This is certainly the case with Ruggero Leoncavallo’s 1892 opera “Pagliacci” – “The Clowns” – that Opera San Antonio chose as its season opener. It premiered Thursday and will be repeated Saturday.

Nicely produced and superbly performed, the drama centers on Canio, the owner/manager of a traveling troupe of thespians, who arrive in a small town to entertain the villagers. It was a common Love practice in Italy at that time.

As Canio and his beloved wife, Nedda – the troupe’s leading lady – invite everyone to come and see their show, that night, we learn that not all is well in their own lives. Tonio, one of the troupe’s clowns who is attracted to Nedda, tries to get close to her but she laughs and rejects him. Soon, however, Tonio gets a chance to witness Nedda with her lover Silvio embracing passionately, and he brings Canio to see it, too. Enraged, the betrayed husband tries to pursue the lover but he escapes and Nedda refuses to name him.

Nothing good can come out of this situation, and it doesn’t. The distraught husband ends up murdering both his wife and her lover during that evening’s performance. That’s when Tonio gets to deliver the famous line “La commedia e finita.” (“The comedy has ended.”)

Being a relatively short opera, “Pagliacci” does not have many grand arias, but this production has all the great voices it needs. Tenor Jonathan Burton is convincing as Canio, with a big, powerful voice and expressive phrasing. He sings the best-known aria “Vesti la Giubba” that contains the famous “Ridi Pagliaccio” verses: “Laugh, clown/at your broken love/laugh at the grief that poisons your heart.”

Sara Garland as Nedda has her own lovely aria early in the show, as her character, alone on stage, contemplates a flock of birds and their travels and freedom. Blessed with a sonorous, flowing voice, she takes the audience on an uplifting melodic flight, that ends too soon. And baritone, Ricardo Jose Rivera as Silvio, makes it quite clear why Nedda is in love with him. With good looks and a robust, eloquent voice, he is tough competition for Canio.

Visually, the show is skillfully directed by Garnett Bruce who keeps the stage alive with action and crowds of performers, including jugglers and acrobats.

Conducted by OSA’s music director, Francesco Milioto, the CMI orchestra rose to the occasion Thursday night, despite the controversy involving using an ad-hoc orchestra rather than the professional SA Phil, which consists of former SAS musicians. (But that’s another story!)

Leoncavallo might have based his opera on a real-life event – as he apparently claimed – which may have helped him to create characters that “represent real life and real emotion,” as Bruce wrote in his Director’s Note.

The full-house audience rose to its feet to applaud enthusiastically Thursday night, proving once again that there’s an appetite for opera in San Antonio.
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The second performance is Saturday, Nov, 5 at 7:30 p.m.; Tobin Center; tickets are $40-$180,
210-223-8624; tickets@tobincenter.org