The Italian composer Ruggero Leoncavallo is known as the founder of opera verismo - a realistic trend of the late 19th century, characterized by interest in the life of the poor people (especially peasants). The graduate of the Neapolitan Conservatory realized most of his innovative and musically significant ideas in operas composed during his lifetime.

The composer wrote about 20 operas. One of them is "The Gypsies" based on the poem by Alexander Pushkin. The operas “La Bohème” and “Zaza” were also successful as well. Leoncavallo is the author of the works of other genres, including the operetta "The Queen of Roses", the ballet "The Marionette's Life", piano pieces and romances. 

The tragic opera “Pagliacci”, written by Leoncavallo based on real life impressions from his childhood years, was a reflection of the innovative approach. The story of a theatrical actress murder during public performance gave the author a pass into the world of art and captivated the cultural world. The brightest fragments of the opera “Pagliacci” are in the musical selection we have prepared for the 165th birth anniversary of Ruggero Leoncavallo. The selection is comprised of tracks digitized from gramophone records, stored in the museum Collection section "Music Records". These are the gramophone records of the firms-producers: Siren Grand Record. Moscow (1911); His Master's Voice (1915); Noginskiy Zavod. Moscow (1938); Amour Gramophone Record. Moscow (1912).

INTERESTING FACTS

Fragments of the work "Pagliacci" entered the world's golden fund of music; everyone admired the "Harlequin Serenade" performed by opera stars.

The so-called African period was in the biography of the Italian composer -- he lived in Egypt and headed the military orchestra at the royal court. When the British occupied the country, the composer had to take up arms and participate in the war.