About “Pagliacci”
Pagliacci is a one-act opera by Ruggerro Leoncavallo. It first premiered in 1892, and tells the story of a troupe of clowns, who present a comedy on stage while a real-life tragedy unfolds behind the scenes. The opera features the dramatic tenor aria “Vesti La Giubba” - the song of a “sad clown,” crying through their makeup.
Under Velour’s direction, Pagliacci‘s clowns will become a travelling drag circus in the 1930s - ordinary people navigating a changing world, trying to fit in, and adapting to survive. Expect bold choices, colorful design, and a very queer imagination!
This production has been commissioned by Spoleto Festival USA.
Drawing by Sasha Velour
A comic by Sasha Velour from 2013, published in “The Cartoon Crier.”
TIMELINE
2026
Gather creative team
Casting begins
Design begins
SUMMER
FALL
2027
Spoleto Festival site visits
Design deadlines and presentations
Shop bids
JUNE
FALL
HOLIDAY
2028
Construction begins
Rehearsals
Spoleto Festival PREMIERE
JANUARY
MAY
MAY 27 -
JUNE 11
PRODUCER
Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, South Carolina, is one of America’s major performing arts festivals. It was founded in 1977 by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Gian Carlo Menotti, who sought to establish a counterpart to the Festival dei Due Mondi (The Festival of Two Worlds) in Spoleto, Italy.
The annual 17-day late-spring event showcases both established and emerging artists in more than 150 performances of opera, dance, theater, classical music, and jazz.
The Festival’s mission is to present programs of the highest artistic caliber while maintaining a dedication to young artists, a commitment to all forms of the performing arts, a passion for contemporary innovation, and an enthusiasm for providing unusual performance opportunities for established artists.
Artists who performed at Spoleto Festival USA early in their careers include Renée Fleming, Emanuel Ax, Joshua Bell, Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Yo-Yo Ma.
JOIN THE
CIRCUS!
Nicole Borrelli Hearn:
nicole@nbharts.com