About

AUSTIN OPERA PRESENTS:

PAGLIACCI

November 4 & 5 | The Long Center

A traveling troupe of commedia dell’arte brings with them not only a play that is frighteningly true to life, but also a host of secrets and jealousies. In Pagliacci—Clowns—composer Ruggero Leoncavallo created not the usual love triangle, but a love quadrangle, with three men—Canio, Tonio, and Silvio—all fighting for the love and attention of one woman, Nedda. Using the classic ‘play within a play’ format, the real lives of the characters act as a mirror to their parts in the play, with tragic consequences. As the on-stage drama melds with real-life passions, the two stories explode in a finale of manipulation, jealousy, violence, and of course, death. This is commedia after all.

The ultimate sad-faced and sad-hearted clown, Canio, is sung by tenor Jonathan Burton, returning to Austin Opera after his 2018 appearance as Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos. Making her role debut as Nedda, the target of so much welcome and unwelcome attention, is Hailey Clark, last seen at the Long Center in 2019 as Anna Sørensen in Silent Night. Troublemaker Tonio is sung by Anthony Clark Evans, and Nedda’s lover Silvio is sung by tenor Benjamin Taylor, both making their Austin Opera debuts, as is character tenor Rodell Rosel, who also makes his role debut as Beppe.

Austin Opera’s Sarah and Ernest Butler Music Director, Timothy Myers, will conduct this powerful heartbreaker, collaborating with director Tara Faircloth who returns to Austin Opera after her last visit for Rigoletto in 2019. Scenic design is by Laura Fine Hawkes, with lighting design by Kathryn Eader.

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Event Details

• Date: Saturday, November 4, 2023 & Sunday, November 5, 2023
• Time: Saturday 7:30 p.m. | Sunday 2:00 p.m.
• Venue: The Long Center
• Website: https://austinopera.org/opera/pagliacci/

Ticket Information

• Cost: $15.00 -$159.00

Presenter Details

• Name: Austin Opera

Austin Opera, voted “Opera Company of the Year” for 2020 in a national BroadwayWorld.com poll, engages 35,000 community members annually through three mainstage productions, an innovative Opera ATX experience, an online digital series, as well as a diverse slate of community and educational programming. 

Serving Central Texas since 1986, Austin Opera inspires audiences with its trademark blend of innovation and artistic excellence. With the leadership of General Director & CEO Annie Burridge and the Sarah and Ernest Butler Principal Conductor & Artistic Advisor Timothy Myers, Austin Opera presents a curated season of grand opera productions at the Long Center, the crown jewel of Austin performing arts venues. Combining the finest American and international stars with the outstanding local talent of our Orchestra and Chorus, Austin Opera’s productions include accessible takes on classic operas as well as challenging new works that reinforce the continuing relevance of opera.

Opera ATX, powered by Austin Opera, brings groundbreaking new works, emerging artists, exciting composers, and dynamic directors to Austin. By tapping into our city’s live music DNA, Opera ATX reflects the spirit of the city and the pioneering image it’s known for. We create the conditions for operatic experiences completely new to Austin, and perhaps completely new to the art form, by exploring alternative venues and unique local partnerships. Driven by Austin Opera’s love of opera, love of audiences, and love of Austin, Opera ATX shows how Austin is shaping its opera company and inspiring innovative experiences.

Austin Opera is also a force in hundreds of classrooms across Central Texas, nurturing the next generation of opera audiences through its award-winning education programs. We work directly with educators, community leaders, students, and parents to make opera relevant, educational, and entertaining for students of all ages, offering much of our educational content online for free.

Venue Details