Recitar!

This is a turn of the century recording of Enrico Caruso singing Leoncavallo's 'Vesti La Giubba' form the opera Pagliacci. The compact nature of Pagliacci has meant that 'Vesti La Giubba' doesn't suffer from the over-exposure of say Tosca's 'Recondita Armonia' or Rigoletto's 'La Donna E Mobile'. The song's sad subject matter and tragic tone make it less than ideal for selling spaghetti.

I like this recording over later ones by the likes of Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo, because it soars on the strength of the Caruso's voice alone. We don't have gaudy visuals of eccentric make-up and poor visual match to the character to contend with. Caruso also seems to do a better job with his timing and intonation so that it comes across as desperate and pained, a man's inner monologue as he grapples with his petty jealousies and trivial insecurities. The tinny sound and scratched recording certainly don't hurt.

I've said it once and I'll say it again: the song is so moving yet bittersweet.

I hope you think so too.