Opera Orlando is rehearsing for its spring performance. The opera company is pairing Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci with Stravinsky’s Pulcinella in collaboration with the Orlando Philharmonic and Orlando Phantasmagoria.
Stage Director Octavio Cardenas and conductor Clinton Smith join Intersection for a conversation about how they are putting together this opera within an opera.
"This is an opera in the style of 'verismo', says Cardenas.
"In this opera there are no kings, queens, gods, heros. These are real people, and actually the opera is based on a real crime."
This opera is also a reunion for Cardenas, Smith and Opera Orlando's Artistic Director Gabriel Preisser.
"Octavio and Gabe and I were all young artists at Minnesota Opera for a number of years," says Smith.
"It was sort of a formative period for us," he says.
Pagliacci / Pulcinella runs from March 22-26 at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.