Mid-Ohio Opera, founded by home grown talent Joel Vega, debuted their first full-length performance at First United Methodist Church on Saturday evening. Pagliacci was performed as a concert, with Vega in the starring role. Gulimina Mahamuti accompanied the performers on the church’s grand piano.
The rest of the performers were imported from across the country, courtesy of generous corporate sponsorship. Stephanie Ball performed as Nedda, Mathew Pierce as Tonio, Tom Sitzler as Silvio and Zachary Devin as Peppe.
“Pagliacci” is a story not unlike a Hollywood blockbuster, except the opera pre-dates Tinseltown by 30 years. The plot includes a plot within a plot mystery, intrigue, an extra-marital affair, murder, and clowns – yes, clowns. “Pagliacci” is the Italian word for clowns.
This Italian opera is comprised of a prologue and two acts with music and libretto (lyrics) by Ruggerro Leoncavallo, and is arguably his most popular work, at least with contemporary audiences.
Set in Calabria, near Montalto, on the Feast of the Assumption, the August performance in Mansfield was aptly timed and placed given its location situated adjacent to Mansfield’s Central Park and a performance date just shortly after the Catholic Holy Day. In the opera the commedia [comedy] troupe performs the night’s performance: the troubles of Pagliaccio, in the village square.
A sizable audience descended upon Central Park’s First United Methodist Church to take in the opera. John and Ruth Darby were excited to attend the performance. John Darby sang opera in his younger days and “Pagliacci” is special to him.
“It’s one of my favorites, if not my most favorite. ‘Vesti la guibba’ [Put on the Costume] is my favorite song of all time. When I was a kid they always played recordings on the radio of Caruso [Enrico Caruso] singing it,” said John Darby.
The plot of the opera hinges on a love triangle wherein Canio’s wife Nedda is the object of two men’s affection, in addition to her husband. Tonio, a member of Canio’s troupe loves her, but she refuses his advances. Meanwhile, she is having an affair with Silvio. Everything begins to unravel toward the end of the first act with Canio threatening his wife with a knife.
During the second act, members of the Mansfield audience were literally on the edge of their seats, and for good reason. In this act the commedia troupe commences with the performance, and Nedda warns Silvio that Canio knows of their affair. The drama unfurls during the troupe’s performance and Canio, consumed with rage repeatedly deviates from the script and ultimately stabs both Nedda and Silvio on stage before singing the final line, “La commedia è finita! [The comedy is finished]. The audience gasped as Vega, playing Canio, stabbed Nedda.
The engagement of the audience was particularly pleasing to Vega. “I was really happy with the way they gasped when I did the stabbing, I got a real ‘Uhhh…’ [Vega gasps],” he said.
Dalton Derr, once a performer at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, attended the performance. Derr reviewed, “Bravo! Bravissimo! It’s certainly time that we have gotten young singers, dynamic, impassioned, to step up and make us a better community.”
Mid-Ohio Opera is a new nonprofit organization with Vega as the artistic director. Mid-Ohio Opera plans is to offer a full season of performances next summer.
