Editing Pagliacci (section)

===Act 1===
At three o'clock in the afternoon, the commedia troupe enters the village to the cheering of the villagers. Canio describes the night's performance: the troubles of Pagliaccio. He says the play will begin at {{lang|it|ventitré ore}}, an agricultural method of time-keeping that means the play will begin an hour before sunset.{{efn|Literally "the twenty-third hour", but not 23:00 hours (11pm), as translated in some libretti. The term refers to when the hours were counted from one ''avemmaria della sera'' (evening [[angelus]]) to the next, and hence one hour before ''avemmaria'' or as in some libretti "at sundown".{{sfn|Anon.|1970}}{{sfn|Anon.|n.d.}} This ''Italian time'' was in use between the fourteenth and eighteenth centuries, but persisted in some isolated rural communities as here, till the mid nineteenth century {{Harv|Swan|1892|loc=[https://books.google.com/books?id=asIBAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA40 "Time" p.&nbsp;40]}}. In other operas it appears in ''[[Rigoletto]]'' and ''[[Un ballo in maschera]]''.}} As Nedda steps down from the cart, Tonio offers his hand, but Canio pushes him aside and helps her down himself.

The villagers suggest drinking at the tavern. Canio and Beppe accept, but Tonio stays behind. The villagers tease Canio that Tonio is planning an affair with Nedda. Canio warns everyone that while he may act the foolish husband in the play, in real life he will not tolerate other men making advances to Nedda. Shocked, a villager asks if Canio really suspects her. He says no, and sweetly kisses her on the forehead. As the church bells ring [[vespers]], he and Beppe leave for the tavern, leaving Nedda alone.

Nedda is frightened by Canio's vehemence ("Qual fiamma avea nel guardo"), but the birdsong comforts her ("Stridono lassù"). Tonio returns and confesses his love for her, but she laughs. Enraged, Tonio grabs Nedda, but she takes a whip, strikes him and drives him off. Silvio, who is Nedda's lover, comes from the tavern, where he has left Canio and Beppe drinking. He asks Nedda to elope with him after the performance and, though she is afraid, she agrees. Tonio, who has been eavesdropping, leaves to inform Canio so that he might catch Silvio and Nedda together. Canio and Tonio return and, as Silvio escapes, Nedda calls after him, "I will always be yours!"

{{Listen|image=none|help=no|type=music|filename=Vesti La Giubba.ogg|title="Vesti la giubba"|description=Performed by [[Enrico Caruso]], recorded on March 17, 1907
|filename2=No Pagliaccio non son.ogg|title2="No! Pagliaccio non son!"|description2=Performed by Enrico Caruso}}
[[File:Enrico Caruso As Canio.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Enrico Caruso]] as Canio in ''Pagliacci'', one of his signature roles]]
Canio chases Silvio, but does not catch him and does not see his face. He demands that Nedda tell him the name of her lover, but she refuses. He threatens her with a knife, but Beppe disarms him. Beppe insists that they prepare for the performance. Tonio tells Canio that her lover will give himself away at the play. A heartbroken Canio is left alone to put on his costume and prepare to laugh ("[[Vesti la giubba]]" – "Put on the costume").