"Vesti La Giubba" from "(I) Pagliacci" by Rugg(i)ero Leoncavallo.

OK, boys and girls, pick up a box of Kleenex (you know me, I'm a sensitive guy!) and let's go WAY back: This famous tenor aria was first performed in 1892. It ends the 1st act when Canio discovers his wife's infidelity but still has to don his clown costume and makeup - "the show must go on". Enrico Caruso's 1904 rendition was the 1st million-selling record in history. Queen used part of the melody in "It's A Hard Life" in '84 and Teddy Randazzo did a pop version in '60. Aria? Opera? Composer? Answer: "Vesti La Giubba" from Rugg(i)ero Leoncavallo's "(I) Pagliacci". How do you choose but, in my book, NOBODY does it like Mario Lanza. No doubt about it, it's been satirized - no respect, no respect! From my dear departed friend Dr. Dan Rogers: "Ah, my kind of useless trivia: it is the 'Vest of the Guppy' from the opera Pagliacci". Some snobs call it "Vesti la giuppi," but what do they know? For those who love fine music, Pagliacci also inspired Homer and Jethro, part of the Spike...". From Prof. Alberto Rodriguez (Papa Dios): "The aria is Vesti La Giubba and the composer is Leoncavallo. In Italian, Vesti La Giubba means get dressed with your special costume. You could say that it means get into your uniform. "Leoncavallo fue el más animal de todos los compositores." My paternal grandfather Don Leo was an avid opera fanatic. From an early age I used to spend weekends at his home and there was always opera playing on the ol' hi-fi. He instilled in me the love of opera. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udJmZXobWiU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0PMq4XGtZ4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRhmogBs-gU

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