Pagliacci and Der Zwerg

Thirty years separate the verismo of Pagliacci (1892) from the expressionism of Der Zwerg (1922).  Leoncavallo himself wrote the Pagliacci’s libretto inspired by and  episode in his childhood, On the other hand, it seems that the dramatic outcome of Zemlinsky’s relationship with Alma Schindler – the future Mrs. Mahler – met an ironic parallel in a Oscar Wilde’s story which Zemlisky adapted for his opera where a young Spanish princess deludes a dwarf making him believe in her love despite his deformity.

As in Der Zwerg the princess tires herself of her living toy, also Nedda in Pagliacci rebuffs the clown Canio choosing Silvio instead. And thus both men discover the painful refusal of love that only death will redeem.

PAGLIACCI

Music and Libreto | Ruggero Leoncavallo

Director | Rodula Gaitanou

Canio | Peter Auty

Nedda | Norah Amsellem

Tonio | Igor Gnidii

Peppe | Carlos Guilherme

Silvio | Thomas Lehman

CORO JUVENIL DE LISBOA
Principal Conductor | Nuno Margarido Lopes

—

DER ZWERG

Music | Alexander von Zemlinsky

Libreto | Georg Klaren

Director | Nicola Raab

The Dwarf | Peter Bronder

Donna Clara | Sarah-Jane Brandon

Ghita | Dora Rodrigues

Don Estoban | Nuno Pereira

First Maid | Carla Caramujo

Second Maid | Filipa van Eck

Third Maid | Carolina Figueiredo

—

PAGLIACCI / DER ZWERG

Conductor | Martin André

Set designer | José Capela

Costumes designer | Mariana Sá Nogueira

CORO DO TEATRO NACIONAL DE SÃO CARLOS
Principal Conductor | Giovanni Andreoli

ORQUESTRA SINFÓNICA PORTUGUESA
Principal Conductor | Joana Carneiro

—

Production | New TNSC Production

—

Photography credits | António Pedro Ferreira