When Florida Grand Opera opens the curtain on its midseason production, I Pagliacci, it will be close to 82 years to the day that the Miami Opera Guild, the precursor to Florida Grand Opera, performed its inaugural production of Ruggero Leoncavallo's Italian opera. While the anniversary may evoke some nostalgia, today's audiences will see a different I Pagliacci than the one from eight decades ago.

Performed at the concert hall of Miami High School on Flagler Avenue for only one performance on February 14, 1942, the production starred founder of the Opera Guild, tenor and voice teacher Arturo di Filippi, as Canio, the leader of a commedia dell'arte theatrical company who is driven to murder his actress wife and her lover.