Recitar! mentre preso dal delirio
Non so pi quel che dico
E quel che faccio!
Eppur duopo sforzati!
Bah! Sei tu forse un uom?
Tu se' Pagliaccio!
Vesti la giubba
E la faccia infarina
La gente paga e rider vuole qua
E se Arlecchin
Tinvola Colombina
Ridi, Pagliacco, e ognun applaudir!
Tramuta in lazzi
Lo spasmo ed il pianto
In una smorfia il singhiozzo
El dolor Ah!
Ridi, Pagliaccio
Sul tuo amore infranto
Ridi del duol che tavvelena il cor
Synopses
Canio, his wife nedda, and their troupe perform adulterous
Comedies in their traveling 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, its show time!
English translation
Go on stage, while Im nearly delirious?
I dont know what Im saying or what Im doing!
And yet, chin up! Ill try harder. Bah, you think youre a man?
You are 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
Youre pagliaccio, and the world will clap for you!
Turn into banter all your pain and sorrow
And with your clowns face hide grief and distress...