As per tradition for this popular pairing of one act operas, the double bill kicks off with Cavalleria Rusticana (Rustic Chivalry) by Italian composer Pietro Mascagni. Cavalleria Rusticana is a tragic tale of infidelity, revenge and violence that takes place on Easter day in a Sicilian village. For the second part of the evening, life imitates art in Ruggero Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci, which takes place in an Italian village where a crowd welcomes a traveling troupe of actors led by Canio. While onstage, Canio and Nedda each perform ironically parallel roles in a play about infidelity and revenge. During the performance, the offstage drama overwhelms Canio, leaving a bewildered audience looking on, unsure if Canio has crossed the line from make-believe to murder.