About Ruggero Leoncavallo:
Ruggero is his two-act work Pagliacci (1892) that remained his lasting contribution, despite attempts to escape the shadow of his greatest success. Today he remains largely known for Pagliacci, one of the most popular works in the repertory, appearing as number 20 on the Operabase list of the most-performed operas worldwide in the 2013/14 season. His other well known works include the song "Mattinata", popularized by Enrico Caruso, as well as the symphonic poem La nuit de mai.