Opera PAGLIACCI by Leoncavallo

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<strong>Ruggero Leoncavallo’s</strong> <strong><em>Pagliacci</em> </strong>is a gripping masterpiece that blends raw emotion, unforgettable music, and timeless drama. Audiences should not miss the chance to experience what resonates across generations: love, betrayal, jealousy, and revenge—all set within a traveling performing troupe. The famous aria “Vesti la giubba,” where the lead character Canio sings of hiding heartbreak behind a painted smile, is one of the most iconic moments in operatic history.

<strong><em>Pagliacci</em> </strong>is a perfect entry point for newcomers to opera and a thrilling favorite for seasoned fans. Its compact structure—just two acts—makes for a fast-paced, emotionally intense evening. The music is lush and dramatic, with soaring melodies and gripping orchestration that heighten every twist of the plot. Visually, productions of <strong><em>Pagliacci</em> </strong>often feature vibrant costumes that contrast the colourful world of performers with the dark undercurrents of their personal lives. It’s a story that asks: what happens when the mask comes off?

Whether you’re drawn by the music, the drama, or the spectacle, <strong><em>Pagliacci</em> </strong>offers a cathartic, unforgettable experience. It’s not just opera—it’s human emotion laid bare, and it will leave you breathless.

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CAST:

Director: Rosemarie Danziger
Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, Rosemarie Danziger studied at the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem and the Hartt College of Music in Connecticut. She earned her degree in Theater from Cornell University and worked as a playwright at the Tåstrup Theater in Denmark while continuing to perform in concerts and operas. She collaborated with major Danish orchestras, including the Sjællands Symphony, Danish Radio Symphony, and Aarhus Symphony. In 1989, she moved to Canada, performing with the Orchestra London, McGill Orchestra, and Edmonton Symphony. Since settling there, she has toured extensively across Europe, appearing in cities such as Mannheim, Freiburg, Hamburg, Graz, Basel, Budapest, and Gdańsk. She has sung under renowned conductors like Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Walter Weller, Donald Runnicles, Jun Märkl, Nir Kabaretti, and Leon Botstein. Her repertoire spans operatic roles by Mozart, Richard Strauss, Verdi, and Puccini, as well as classic operettas by Johann Strauss, Emmerich Kálmán, and Franz Lehár. She has also performed widely in recitals and concerts. In 2014, Danziger co-founded the non-profit Vienna-Tel Aviv Vocal Connection (VTAVC) with Maestro David Aronson and Sylvia Greenberg. VTAVC supports emerging professional singers by producing fully staged operas with leading Israeli orchestras. Since 2023, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, led by Maestro Julian Rachlin, has been VTAVC’s exclusive partner. Her recent directing and production work includes Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni, Strauss’s Die Fledermaus, Pergolesi’s La serva padrona, Ullmann’s Der Kaiser von Atlantis, and The Impresario. She has worked with orchestras such as the Israel Chamber Orchestra, Haifa Symphony, and Israel Sinfonietta Beer Sheva. Danziger also teaches acting techniques and mentors professional singers.

Adrian Sylveen
Award-winning musician, Adrian Sylveen enjoys a performing career in the United States and Europe. He is a founder and artistic director of the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra (USA) and the Greve Opera Academy and Chamber Music Festival (Italy). He also appears frequently with Teatro Lirico D’Europa (USA) and Camerata Gdynia (Poland). Mr. Sylveen has conducted approximately 35 operatic titles and has an extensive orchestral and oratorio repertoire. He has conducted and performed concerts in the United States, Poland, Italy, Israel, Cuba, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and the former Soviet Union. Between 2004-2024, Mr. Sylveen was a co-founder, artistic director, and the principal conductor of the Connecticut Lyric Opera. He worked with such ensembles as Israeli Chamber Orchestra, Olsztyn Philharmonic, Elbląg Chamber Orchestra, Classical Orchestra of Piła (Poland), Associazione Il Contrappunto (Italy), Holguín Symphony Orchestra (Cuba), Orchestra da Camera di Greve-In-Chianti (Italy), Central Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra, the New Britain Chorale, Coro di teatro Garibaldi, Chór Akademii Staszica (Piła, Poland), among others. A winner of many prizes in Europe and the United States, he received the American Council for Polish Culture Primus Inter Pares Award from the President of the Republic of Poland and received permanent US residence for “Extraordinary Abilities in the Arts”. Mr. Sylveen holds Master of Music and Artist Diploma degrees from the Yale University School of Music; he is also a graduate of the Paderewski Music Academy in Poznan, Poland (diploma with distinction). During the school years, he participated in several international Festivals in Weimar, Łancut, Żagań, and others. A dedicated music educator and community activist, Sylveen is on the faculty of the Virtuosi Music Academy and Summer Music Festival, Greve Opera Academy, and works with a community “Moniuszko” Choir.

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<h3><strong>Greve Opera Academy</strong></h3>
Founded in 2015, the <strong><a href=”http://grevefestival.org/”>Greve Opera Academy and Music Festival</a> </strong>is a collaborative effort between the American performing organization Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, and the municipality of Greve-in-Chianti in the province of Florence. The inaugural festival featured a fully staged production of Le Nozze di Figaro performed in the Teatro Boito in Greve, the Teatro Niccolini in San Casciano and in the public square – Piazza Metteotti – of Greve, as well as additional performances in Greve and else wherei. 2016 saw performances of “La Boheme” in Greve and San Gimignano and of “Don Giovanni” in Greve, with additional concerts and recitals in Florence and Greve; and 2017 saw performances of both “Tosca” and “Cosi fan Tutte” in San Gimignano and Greve, with additional concerts and recitals in Florence and Greve. In the first three seasons, attendees have come from the US, Italy, Canada, China, Austria, Poland, Cypress and Australia.

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<h3><strong>Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra</strong></h3>
<img class=”alignright size-medium wp-image-22442 lazyloaded” src=”https://gardearts.org/app/uploads/Ct-Virtuosi-Logo-300×150.jpg” sizes=”(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px” srcset=”https://gardearts.org/app/uploads/Ct-Virtuosi-Logo-300×150.jpg 300w, https://gardearts.org/app/uploads/Ct-Virtuosi-Logo-1024×512.jpg 1024w, https://gardearts.org/app/uploads/Ct-Virtuosi-Logo-768×384.jpg 768w, https://gardearts.org/app/uploads/Ct-Virtuosi-Logo-1536×768.jpg 1536w, https://gardearts.org/app/uploads/Ct-Virtuosi-Logo-1200×600.jpg 1200w, https://gardearts.org/app/uploads/Ct-Virtuosi-Logo.jpg 1800w” alt=”” width=”300″ height=”150″ data-src=”https://gardearts.org/app/uploads/Ct-Virtuosi-Logo-300×150.jpg” data-srcset=”https://gardearts.org/app/uploads/Ct-Virtuosi-Logo-300×150.jpg 300w, https://gardearts.org/app/uploads/Ct-Virtuosi-Logo-1024×512.jpg 1024w, https://gardearts.org/app/uploads/Ct-Virtuosi-Logo-768×384.jpg 768w, https://gardearts.org/app/uploads/Ct-Virtuosi-Logo-1536×768.jpg 1536w, https://gardearts.org/app/uploads/Ct-Virtuosi-Logo-1200×600.jpg 1200w, https://gardearts.org/app/uploads/Ct-Virtuosi-Logo.jpg 1800w” data-sizes=”(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px” />Established in 1997, the <a href=”http://thevirtuosi.org/”><strong>Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra</strong></a> is Connecticut’s premier professional chamber orchestra, based in the Greater New Britain area, and dedicated to presenting both traditional and contemporary works to the public. As artists, the <strong>Virtuosi</strong> strive to be cultural leaders and teachers and to inspire our audiences to recognize the beauty and quality of classical music in any form.

The Orchestra, led by founder and artistic director Adrian Sylveen, presents approximately ten critically acclaimed concert and opera programs each season. <strong>Virtuosi</strong> also presents eight school concerts for the New Britain Department of Education. The group performs thirty times a season in New Britain, Hartford, New London, Middletown, New York, and Waterbury. Virtuosi also presented occasional concerts in Mystic, Meriden, New York City, and Pennsylvania.