“Pagliacci” by Ruggero Leoncavallo libretto (English)

Contents: Roles / Prologue; Act One; Act Two

ACT TWO

Same scene as before

(All members of the troupe are on stage. The spectators
arrive in groups.)

WOMEN
Come on, friend,
quick, keep moving,
the show is starting
at any minute.
Let’s try to sit
right at the front.

TONIO
We’re about to start!
Your seats, everyone!

THE MEN
See how the ladies run,
the little rascals!
Fair friends,
please be seated.
Good heavens, what a crush
to get in first.

TONIO
Take your places!

CHORUS
Let’s find a place!
Right at the front!
Let’s try to sit
right at the front,
for the show
is about to begin.

TONIO
Come on!
Take your seats, please!

THE WOMEN
Don’t push and crowd,
take your places!
Come, Beppe, help us,
there’s a place right here!

PART OF THE CHORUS
On with the show!
Come on, let’s get started!
Why the waiting?
We’re all here!

BEPPE
The devil, what a racket!
You’ve got to pay first!
Nedda, take the money.

ANOTHER PART OF THE CHORUS
Look, they’re fighting,
calling for help!
Quiet there, sit down
and stop shouting.

SILVIO
Nedda!

NEDDA
Careful!
He didn’t see you!

SILVIO
I’ll be waiting for you!
Don’t forget!

CHORUS
This way! This way!
Start the show!
Why the delay?
Get on with the play!
Let’s make a row!

Eleven o’clock has struck!
Everyone longs to see the show! Ah!
The curtain’s rising!
Quiet! Hola!

THE PLAY

Nedda (Columbine) - Beppe (Harlequin)
Canio (Pagliaccio) - Tonio (Taddeo)

(The curtain of the inner stage rises, disclosing a little
room with a table and two chairs. Nedda, in costume
of Columbine, is pacing anxiously up and down.)

NEDDA
(Columbine)
My husband Pagliaccio
will not be home till late.
And whatever has become
of that blockhead Taddeo?

THE VOICE OF BEPPE
(Harlequin)
Oh! Columbine, your faithful
and adoring Harlequin
is near!
Calling your name and
sighing, the poor fellow awaits you!
Show your fair face
that I may kiss
this instant
your little mouth.
Love is cruelly tormenting me!
Oh, Columbine,
open your window
for me; your poor, patient
Harlequin is waiting,
sighing and calling your name!
Harlequin is near to you!

NEDDA
(Columbine)
Harlequin is waiting, and the hour is near
for the agreed signal!
(Nedda sits at the table, her back towards the door.
Enter Tonio, dressed as the servant Taddeo. Unseen by
Nedda, he pauses a moment to admire her.)

TONIO
(Taddeo)
She herself! Ye gods, how divine!
(The public laughs.)
If I should reveal
my love to this shrew,
this love mightier than mountains!
And why not dare?
Her husband is away!
And we are alone
and unsuspected!
Up, then! Let us try!
(A deep and exaggerated sigh. The public laughs.)

NEDDA
(Columbine)
(turning)
Is it you, you idiot?

TONIO
(Taddeo)
My very self.

NEDDA
(Columbine)
And Pagliaccio has gone?

TONIO
(Taddeo)
Gone!

NEDDA
(Columbine)
Why are you standing there transfixed?
Did you buy the chicken?

TONIO
(Taddeo)
Divine lady, here it is!
(falling to his knees and offering the basket)
And here, indeed, we both lie at your feet,
for the hour has come, O Columbine,
to disclose my whole heart to you. Say,
will you listen? From the day...

NEDDA
(Columbine)
(grabbing the basket)
How much did you pay the inn-keeper?

TONIO
(Taddeo)
One and a half. From that day my heart...

NEDDA
(Columbine)
Stop bothering me, Taddeo!
(Harlequin leaps in through the window. He places a
bottle on the table, and then goes towards Taddeo,
who pretends not to see him.)

TONIO
(Taddeo)
I know that you are chaste
and pure as whitest snow!
And harsh as you are towards me,
I cannot forget you!

BEPPE
(Harlequin)
(takes Taddeo by the ear and gives him a kick)

Go outside and cool off!
(Spectators laugh.)

TONIO
(Taddeo)
(beating a comic retreat)
Heavens! They are in love! I yield to your orders,
and bless you! Now, I’ll keep watch for you!
(Exit Taddeo. The public applauds.)

NEDDA
(Columbine)
Harlequin!

BEPPE
(Harlequin)
Columbine! Love at long last
surrenders to our prayers!

NEDDA
(Columbine)
Let’s have a little supper.
(They sit facing each other at the table.)
See, my love, what a splendid
repast I’ve made for you!

BEPPE
(Harlequin)
See, my love, what a heavenly
nectar I’ve brought you!

TOGETHER
True love adores
the joys of food and wine!

BEPPE
(Harlequin)
My greedy Columbine!

NEDDA
(Columbine)
Beloved drunkard!

BEPPE
(Harlequin)
(taking out a phial)
Take this drug
and give it to Pagliaccio before he goes
to sleep, and then we’ll run off together.

NEDDA
(Columbine)
Yes, let me have it.
(Re-enter Taddeo, in an exaggerated fit of trembling.)

TONIO
(Taddeo)
Look out!
Pagliaccio’s here, raging like a madman, seeking
arms. He knows all. I’ll barricade myself!
(He rushes out slamming the door.)

NEDDA
(Columbine)
(to Harlequin)
Flee!

BEPPE
(Harlequin)
(climbing through the window)
Pour the filter into his cup.
(Enter Canio, dressed as Pagliaccio.)

NEDDA
(Columbine)
Till tonight, and I shall be yours forever!

CANIO
(Pagliaccio)
(In God’s name! The very words!
Courage!) A man was here with you.

NEDDA
(Columbine)
What nonsense!
Are you drunk?

CANIO
(Pagliaccio)
Drunk, yes, for an hour!

NEDDA
(Columbine)
You are home early.

CANIO
(Pagliaccio)
(significantly)
But in time! Does that
distress you, sweet wife?
(resuming the play)
Ah, I thought you were alone...
But I see two places.

NEDDA
(Columbine)
Taddeo was with me, and scampered off
for fear.
(towards the door)
You, there, speak up!

TONIO
(Taddeo)
Believe her! She is pure!
Her pious lips abhor all falsehood!
(Spectators laugh loudly.)

CANIO
(furiously to the public)
The devil take you!
(then to Nedda)
This is enough. I have the right to act
like every other man! His name!

NEDDA
(cold and smiling)
Whose?

CANIO
I want your lover’s name.
Name me the villain to whom you gave
yourself, base harlot!

NEDDA
(still acting her part)
Pagliaccio! Pagliaccio!

CANIO
No, I am not Pagliaccio! Although my face
is white, that is for shame and for the lust
for vengeance! The man reclaims his right,
the heart that bleeds wants blood to wash away
the shame, damned woman! No, I am not
Pagliaccio! I am he, I am that fool who found you,
a starving orphan of the street,
and took you in, and offered you a name,
and the fever and the folly of his love!

WOMEN
Friend, it makes me weep,
so true the play appears!

MEN
Keep quiet there!
The devil take you!

SILVIO
(to himself)
I can hardly contain myself!

CANIO
So blinded was I by my passion,
that I had hoped - if not for love -
at least for merciful compassion!
And gladly every sacrifice
I placed upon my heart,
and trustful, I believed in you
more than in God Himself!
But only evil dwells
in your abandoned soul:
yes, you are heartless and you know
no law but of your senses.
Go, you do not deserve my grief,
woman without shame!
In my disgust I will
crush you beneath my feet!

THE CROWD
Bravo!

NEDDA
(cold but serious)
Well, then, if you so judge me
unworthy of you, drive me out forthwith!

CANIO
(with derision)
Ah, ha! You could ask for nothing better
than to run off to your paramour. You are
cunning! But no, by God, you’ll stay
and tell me now your lover’s name!

NEDDA
(trying to resume the play)
Now, there, get going. Truly I never thought
you could be so terrible.
There is no tragic business here.
Taddeo, come now and tell him
that the man sitting with me here a while ago
was our own timorous and harmless Harlequin!

(She stifles her laughter as she meets Canio’s glance.)

CANIO
(wild with rage)
Ah! You defy me still! And still don’t understand
that I’ll not yield? His name or your life! His name!

NEDDA
Ah! No, by my mother! I may be unworthy,
all you will, but, by God, I am no coward!

BEPPE
We must go!

TONIO
Silence, fool!

NEDDA
My love is stronger than your raging!
I will not speak! Not if it cost my life!
(a murmur in the crowd)

CANIO
(shrieking as he seizes a knife)
His name! His name!

NEDDA
No!

SILVIO
(drawing a dagger)
By the devil,
he means it...

(Convulsed with rage, Canio seizes Nedda and stabs
her with the knife.)

BEPPE and THE CROWD
What are you doing?

CANIO
This for you!

NEDDA
Ah!

CANIO
And this!

BEPPE and THE CROWD
Stop!

CANIO
In your death spasm
you’ll tell me!

NEDDA
Help!...Silvio!

SILVIO
(rushing onto the inner stage)
Nedda!

CANIO
(turns like a beast,
leaps on Silvio and stabs him.)
Ah, then! It’s you! Welcome!
(Silvio collapses to the floor.)

THE CROWD
Jesus and Mary!
(Several of the men rush to disarm Canio. Stupefied
and motionless, he lets his knife slip to the floor.)

CANIO
The comedy is ended!

END

English translation of Pagliacci© EMI (U.S.) Ltd., 1954

Contents: Roles / Prologue; Act One; Act Two