Ruggero Leoncavallo is an italian opera who has composed several works of art. Pagliacci is an Italian opera with two acts, containing music and libretto by Leoncavallo. Pagliacci is the last Leoncavallo opera that is still performed throughout the world. Pagliacci translates to The Clowns and was published in 1892, as a two act performance. I thought it was a brilliant show because it was based off of a true story. This story goes back and forth with reality and fantasy, which was Leoncavallo’s whole message, realism. Leoncavallo 's father was a judge, taught his son about this murder case so he took the true story and made it into a story. The only issue there was, the story got taken to the next level affecting his real life with the story. Once the curtain rises, Tonio, who is the fool, explains to the audience to have have an open mind about clowns, just because their looks, they have real feelings like us humans too. The opera takes place in a small village in Calabria. The first act consists of four actors out at the tavern having a good time except their friend Tonio. Canio has a wife, Nedda, who is cheating on him with Tonio. Nedda feels so guilty due to her unfaithfulness to her husband which leaves her in remorse. Her affair with Tonio has been going on for awhile, and tries to set herself free while singing a song with a bird. The bird symbolizes Nedda’s freedom which she doesn’t quite have with Silvio. Canio hears her singing about her passion of another