Review by Giada at Hackney Empire
Last Friday, I had the pleasure of visiting the beautiful Hackney Empire for an opera night hosted by English Touring Opera, presenting their latest production of Pagliacci.
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| Photo by Richard Hubert Smith |
This reimagining of the classic, under Eleanor Burke’s coherent vision, offered striking visual design and heightened dramatic action, with a particularly compelling shift in focus. While traditionally the story centres on Canio’s jealous rage and thirst for revenge, here the emotional core is repositioned around Nedda’s desire for love and freedom.
The prologue, cleverly staged as a press conference, immediately immerses the audience in a world shaped by fame and success, foregrounding themes of stardom and public image. Paula Sides’s Nedda emerges as a modern, Hollywood-style star at the height of her career: her elegant stance conveying both poise and inner conflict, caught between public expectation and an increasingly urgent private longing. In contrast, Canio (Ronald Samm) is portrayed as a man bound by a perceived duty to avenge, whose love is bounded to his proximity to Nedda. The strong ensemble cast guides us towards an inevitable and devastating tragedy.
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| Photo by Richard Hubert Smith |
The English translation of the Italian libretto feels natural and well-paced. Notably, the famous “Ridi, pagliaccio” is rendered as “Laugh, tragic actor,” a choice that fits remarkably well within the musical phrasing of the iconic Vesti La Giubba aria. Performed in English, with English surtitles, the production felt refreshingly accessible, challenging the common prejudice that opera is not for everyone.
For both seasoned opera-goers and newcomers alike, English Touring Opera demonstrates, through this production in particular, just how immediate, engaging, and breathtaking this centuries-old art form can be.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pagliacci tours until 10th May 2026 alongside a production of The Gondoliers. For dates and venues visit https://englishtouringopera.org.uk/
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| Photo by Richard Hubert Smith |
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