Vesti la Giubba: Pavarotti and Corelli versions

Two opera giants of the 20th century, Franco Corelli and Luciano Pavarotti singing Vesti la giubba (English: put on the costume), a famous tenor aria from Ruggero Leoncavallo’s 1892 opera Pagliacci (Clowns).

In the first video, Franco Corelli uses his “spinto” voice to make a good performance.

Franco Corelli: Vesti la Giubba

The second video – Franco Corelli sings “Vesti la Giubba”, Pagliacci on RAI with Tito Gobbi and Mafalda Micheluzzi, director Alfredo Simonetto with the Turin (Torino) RAI Orchestra in 1954.

Pagliacci Leoncavallo OPERA D’ORO 1954

The third video is coming from “King of the High C’s” – Luciano Pavarotti. He sings the aria live at “Olympic Hall” in Munich, 1986, German TV.

Luciano Pavarotti sings Vesti la giubba live from Olympic Hall in Munich, 1986, German TV.

Vesti la giubba

Vesti la giubba (English: Put on the costume, often referred to as “On With the Motley” from the original 1893 translation by the English lyricist Frederic Edward Weatherly) is a famous tenor aria from Ruggero Leoncavallo’s 1892 opera Pagliacci.

The aria is sung at the conclusion of the first act, when Canio discovers his wife’s infidelity, but must nevertheless prepare for his performance as Pagliaccio the clown because “the show must go on”.

Enrico Caruso, in the lead role in Leoncavallo's opera Pagliacci (Clowns). (1910) - featured

Related: Enrico Caruso – Vesti la giubba (1902, 1904, 1907 editions)

Enrico Caruso’s recordings of the aria, from 1902, 1904, and 1907, were among the top-selling records of the 78-rpm era and reached over a million sales.

Sources

M. Özgür Nevres

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