Movielogr
Pagliacci (1987)
Directed by Franco Zeffirelli
Overview
The story is set in southern Italy and recounts the tragedy of Canio, the lead clown (or pagliaccio in Italian) in a commedia dell’arte troupe, his wife Nedda, and her lover, Silvio. When Nedda spurns the advances of Tonio, another player in the troupe, he tells Canio about Nedda’s betrayal. In a jealous rage Canio murders both Nedda and Silvio. Although Leoncavallo’s opera was originally set in the late 1860’s, Zeffirelli’s production is updated to the period between World War I and World War II.
Length 72 minutes
Actors
Teresa Stratas | Plácido Domingo | Juan Pons | Florindo Andreolli | Alberto Rinaldi | Alfredo Pistone | Ivan Del Manto | Georges Prêtre | Orchestra della Scala