Explore the two sides of a clown with Opera Idaho and Ballet Idaho this weekend. Ballet Idaho's "Pulcinella" is pure comedy to a score by Stravinsky that tells the story of the commedia dell'arte character, danced by Andrew Taft. Opera Idaho's performance of Leoncavallo's "Pagliacci" is the tragic tale of Canio, sung by Christopher Bengocheaan, pictured, an actor who plays a clown and is consumed by jealousy and driven to murder. The two-act opera contains one of the most famous arias in the genre "Vesti La Giubba." In it, he sings, "Ridi, Pagliaccio, sul tuo amore infranto!" ("Laugh, Pagliaccio, for your love is broken!")

Dana Oland