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...