Enrico Caruso - Vesti la giubba - 1902, 1904, 1907

Caruso was the first gramophone star to sell more than a million copies with his 1907 recording of ’Vesti la giubba’ from the opera ’Pagliacci’ by Ruggero Leoncavallo. Here are his recordings from 30th of November 1902, 1st of February 1904 and 17th of March 1907. Vesti la giubba is regarded as one of the most moving arias in the operatic repertoire. The pain of Canio (Caruso) is portrayed in the aria and exemplifies the entire notion of the ’tragic clown’: smiling on the outside but crying on the inside. This is still displayed today as the clown motif often features the painted on tear running down the cheek of the performer. The opera recounts the tragedy of a jealous husband. More Caruso info on my non-profit website (English). Text of the aria in Italian: Recitar! Mentre preso dal delirio! Non so più quel che dico e quel che faccio! Eppur è d’uopo sforzati! Bah! Sei tu for