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The Four Seasons Opera Club will present a double bill of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci on Friday, April 11 at 6 pm in The Lodge Theater. The double bill is known as Cav/Pag and the combined running time for both operas is two and a half hours. We honor the tradition of engaging the same tenor, with Placido Domingo leading both productions. Both operas are early examples of the verismo style. Here, stories about mythical gods and royalty give way to steamy dramas involving everyday people in their everyday lives. Cavalleria Rusticana takes place on Easter Sunday. Whereas Easter is about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, these short stories are about jealousy and revenge. In Cav, Turridu, Santuzza, and Lola work out a love triangle containing the themes of youth and beauty versus wealth and stability. Mascagni rose to international fame and fortune due to the success of this opera. Similarly, Pagliacci is a well-known tale of marital infidelity and heated vengeance. Leoncavallo's most famous aria reminds us that "the show must go on." In the memorable aria "Vesti la giubba," our protagonist sings, "Put on the costume, powder and paint/the people pay and want to laugh." In this scene, Pagliacci is deeply hurt by the discovery of the infidelity of his wife, Nedda. But his duty to the stage commands that despite personal pain, he play his role for the entertainment of his audience. Placido does this with great gravitas. The drama of this aria alone is worth making the effort to come to the opera. In 1902, Enrico Caruso's "Vesti la giubba" was the first million-selling record in recording history. We have posted links to several great tenors singing the role on the opera website (fsbopera.org/2504-Cav-Pag.htm). There you will find Enrico Caruso, Luciano Pavarotti, Mario Lanza, Guiseppe di Stefano, and Fabio Armiliato, each performing the role. Compare them and note Pavarotti's signature vocal "ring." The final version def lates the stuffiness of the art form with Armiliato singing in the shower in a scene from a Woody Allen film. The previously-scheduled April showing of Tales of Homann has been moved to August. Watch this space for news on the coming expansion of our mission to other great performances beyond opera and ballet. Combined into one evening, Cav/Pag offers a well-spent night of verismo tragedy at its finest. ~ Harvey Toyama, yukito@yukito. net, (951) 524-3765 42 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | APRIL 2025 Opera Club Classical Music Club We are classical music lovers with an interest in sharing our love of, knowledge about, and interest in, classical music. We meet on the second Thursday of each month at 7 pm in The Lodge Theater. We listen to and watch musical selections on the big screen. Each month we focus on a particular work or several selections of one composer. We also discuss current musical performances in the area. We welcome new members. Contact Steve Benoff at steve.benoff@verizon.net or (310) 413- 4896. ~ Steve Beno