The story is set in southern Italy and recounts the tragedy of Canio, the lead clown (or pagliaccio in Italian) in a commedia dell'arte troupe, his wife Nedda, and her lover, Silvio. When Nedda spurns the advances of Tonio, another player in the troupe, he tells Canio about Nedda's betrayal. In a jealous rage Canio murders both Nedda and Silvio. Although Leoncavallo's opera was originally set in the late 1860's, Zeffirelli's production is updated to the period between World War I and World War II.
Teresa Stratas
as Nedda
Plácido Domingo
as Canio
Juan Pons
as Tonio
Florindo Andreolli
as Peppe
Alberto Rinaldi
as Silvio
Alfredo Pistone
as
Ivan Del Manto
as
Georges Prêtre
as Self - Conductor
Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala
as Self - Chorus
