Cavalleria Rusticana / Pagliacci

Mascagni's sensational Cavalleria rusticana is about the social customs of Sicily, to which Turridu falls victim. He is denied a marriage with Lola, whom he loves, so he has fun with Santuzza, who loves him, and gives her a promise of marriage. But Lola is not happy in her marriage to Alfio, so she begins an affair with Turridu. Santuzza learns of this and, hurt by the humiliation, hints to Alfio that Lola is unfaithful. Alfio immediately suspects who the adulterer is and provokes Turridu into a duel.

In Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, Canio's theatre troupe announces an evening of comedy. But discord reigns within the group. Canio does not trust his young wife Nedda unreservedly, which the scheming Tonio, who has his eye on her, knows how to exploit. He discovers to Canio that Nedda is actually cheating on him. While the troupe is now playing a comedy, the line between the role of the cuckolded Pagliaccio and the murderous Canio becomes blurred.