Digital Remaster Vesti la giubba - Caruso 1907

Caruso was the first gramophone star to sell more than a million copies with his 17th March 1907 recording of ’Vesti la giubba’ from the opera ’Pagliacci’ by Ruggero Leoncavallo. 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. 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 forse un uom? Tu sei Pagliaccio! Vesti la giubba Ela faccia infarina. La gente paga e rider vuole qua. E se Arlecchin t’invola Colombina, ridi, Pagliaccio, e ognun applaudirà! Tramuta in lazzi lo spasmo ed il pianto; in una smorfia il singhiozzo e’l dolor! Ah! Ridi, Pag