"Vesti la giubba"
Aria for Tenor from Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci
"Vesti la giubba" came to be known as Enrico Caruso's signature aria.
Music and Libretto: Ruggero Leoncavallo
First performance: Teatro dal Verme, Milan, May 21, 1892
Key: e minor
Meter and tempo: 4/4 – 2/4; Sostenuto assai – Adagio
Vocal range: d-a’ (D3-A4)
Act II: Shortly before going on stage for a comic performance, the clown Canio has just discovered that his wife has been unfaithful. The expression of his sorrow is made more poignant by his clown's garb…
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Recitar! | Performing! |
| Mentre preso dal delirio | With my heart weighed with sorrow |
| non so più quel che dico | I know not what I'm saying |
| e quel che faccio! | Or what I should do! |
| Eppur è d'uopo | But I must face it, |
| Sforzati! | Stiffen my resolve! |
| Bah, sei tu forse un nom! | Bah, I am not a man, |
| Tu se'Pagliaccio! | I'm just a jester! |
| – | |
| Vesti la giubba | On with the tunic |
| e la faccia infarina | and the facepaint. |
| La gente paga | The people pay |
| e rider vuole qua | and want their laughs. |
| E se Arlecchin | If Harlequin |
| t'invola Colombina, | steals your Columbine, |
| ridi Pagliaccio | laugh, clown, |
| e ognun applaudirà! | and they'll all applaud! |
| Tramuta in lazzi lo | Turn into gags your |
| Spasmo ed il pianto; | tears and your pangs; |
| in una smorfia il singhiozzo | into a grimace your sobbing |
| e'l dolor Ah! | and your pain. Ah! |
| Ridi Pagliaccio | Laugh, Pulchinello, |
| sul tuo amore infranto! | For the love that is ended! |
| Ridi del duol che | Laugh for the sorrow |
| t'avvelena | that is eating |
| il cor! | your heart! |