Pagliacci

Prologue
Before the opera begins, a member of the small theatrical road company, Tonio, who looks like a clown, steps before the curtain. He tells the audience that a clown is also a man, so a clown feels sorrow and pity just like a man.

Act 1
In the latter half of the 19th century, in Calabria in the south of Italy, the small theatrical road company whose manager is Canio, arrived in the village. Canio’s wife is the main actress of the company, Nedda. She gets sick of her husband, because he is deeply jealous. Nedda has another man, Silvio. Nedda and Silvio promise to elope together. A member of the company, Tonio, overhears this promise, and he informs Canio of it. Canio appears, but Silvio has already run away. Canio is infuriated, he asks his wife, “Who was that?” But, Nedda refuses to answer. 
In the meantime, it was time to perform. In the dressing room, Canio wears his stage costume to play the clown. When he puts powder on his face, he cries alone.

Act 2
Many villagers gathers, and the performance by the company starts. The story is similar to Canio’s reality. The woman, who is played by Nedda, meets her lover while her husband, who is played by Canio, is absent, and her husband comes home soon.
Canio was out of his senses. In the middle of his play, he strongly asks, “Tell me his name!” but his wife refuses to answer. The audience is excited by thier realistic acting. Finally, Canio stabs Nedda to death with a knife. The audience screams in horror.
Before her death, Nedda cried, “Help me, Silvio!” Silvio appears in the audience, but he attempts to run away. Canio runs after him, and stabs him too. Canio tells the audience, “The comedy has ended.”