(from Leoncavallo's "I Pagliacci")



[Canio, and his wife, and their troupe perform adulterous comedies in their travelling shows. This time, though, life imitates art. Canio has just been warned that Nedda is in the arms of another man. When Canio arrives, the man is gone. "Tell me his name!" He threatens. Just at that moment, they announce, "It's show time!"]

Recitar!...mentre preso dal delirio
non so piu quel che dico e quel che faccio!
Eppur...e d'uopa...sforzati!
Bah, se tu forse un uom?
Tu se' Pagliaccio!
Vesti la giubba e la faccia infarina.
La gente paga e rider vuole qua.
E se Arlecchin t'invola Colombina,
ridi, Pagliaccio...e ognun applaudira!
Tramuta in lazzi lo spasmo ed il pianto;
in una smorfia il singhiozzo e'l dolor...
Ridi Pagliaccio, sul tuo amore infranto!
Ridi del duol che t'avvelena il cor!

[Translation:]

On With The Show

Go on stage, while I'm nearly delirious?
I don't know what I'm saying or what I'm doing!
And yet, chin up! I'll try harder.
Bah, you think you're a man?
You're just a clown!
On with the show, man, and put on your white-face.
The people pay you and you must make them laugh.
And if Harlequin should steal your Columbine,
laugh, you're Pagliaccio, and the world will clap for you!
Turn into banter all your pain and sorrow,
and with your clown's face hide grief and distress...
Laugh loud, Pagliaccio, forget all your troubles,
Laugh off the pain that so empoisons your heart.