PagliacciProgram Cover
Music and Libretto by Ruggero Leonavallo
Review By Ernest Edwards
MN Opera is closing out their 2025/2026 season at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts with their production of Pagliacci.
One of the things I really like with this opera is the run time. Including the intermission it’s about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Even on an opening Saturday night, that run time can be music to one’s ears. I have nothing against shows that range from 2-1/2 hours, to 3 hours to 4 hours. It’s nice, once in a while to have such a short run time. Downtown St. Paul was crazy last night, with the watch party for The MN Wild’s playoff game at the same time as the MN Opera production.
In addition to the vocal talent, what I really liked with this opera was the scenery. There was a reason they kept the curtain closed before the show began. The scenery contained the cars from a traveling circus inside of a warehouse. For this production they began the story in the 1970’s and then went back in time to the 1930’s for the main parts of the story.
So many great vocals and talent with this cast. Amanda Batista as Nedda, Won Whi Choi as Canio, David Wolfe as Silvio and Reginald Smith Jr as Tonio.
This production is rich in visuals, with both the costumes and scenery. While this opera is beautiful in many ways, the story has a tragic ending.
This gorgeous production runs through May 17, 2026. Check out www.mnopera.org for tickets.
