QUITE RARE! MARY SMALL PERFORMS VESTI LA GIUBBA FROM PAGLIACCI IN 1935
The 1904 recording by Enrico Caruso was the first million-selling record in history. And from Wiki…
The aria is often regarded as one of the most moving in the operatic repertoire of the time. The pain of Canio is portrayed in the aria and exemplifies the entire notion of the “tragic clown”: smiling on the outside but crying on the inside. This is still displayed today, as the clown motif often features the painted-on tear running down the cheek of the performer.
Here is the metaphoric performance as covered by the Pittsburgh Press…
http://marysmall.tumblr.com/post/37355254347/from-the-pittsburgh-press-march-10-1935-there