Cavalleria Rusticana & Pagliacci

Opera’s most famous operatic duo work together superbly for many reasons, not the least of which, is their double-barrel dose of hardcore erotic passion. Both were considered scandalous when they premiered, for their unabashed, gritty portrayals of love among society’s outcasts. The two literally define versimo opera. Zinka Milanov and Kurt Baum battle it out in Cavalleria Rusticana; and Mario del Monaco is the grieving clown in Pagliacci.