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Groves is now Opera Louisiane's general director, and the singing tenor clown in his company won't be mourning an empty Rice Krispies box next weekend. No, the clown's story, sadly, resonates no matter what the era.

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»Æ¹Ï´«Ã½, video: Opera Louisiane's 'Pagliacci' chorus rehearses in the Manship's Studio Theatre

The chorus for Opera Louisiane's production of "Pagliacci" gathered together on May 4 for a rehearsal in the Manship Theatre's Studio Theatre.

A timeless theme

Composer Ruggero Leoncavallo's "Pagliacci" may have premiered in 1892 in Milan, Italy, but his main character, Canio, believes his wife is having an affair. This very theme has since been the basis of countless plays, television shows and movies.

Leoncavallo does use irony in setting his scene. Canio and his wife, Nedda, are members of a traveling comedy troupe, which is why Canio dresses as a clown. Their job is to make people laugh, but the only one not laughing is Canio, whose final act, without giving away spoilers, blurs the line between theater and reality.

"Leoncavallo was using this opera as a steppingstone," said the production's director Corey McKern, who also is artistic director of the Pensacola Opera. "I don't think this was something that he anticipated becoming a classic."

"This was a test piece, something that he submitted to win a prize," artistic director Michael Borowitz added. "He wanted to write things that were longer and had more acts."

Audiences are intrigued

But the composer never anticipated audiences' reaction to it. Was it the scandal that captured their attention? Or was it the unexpected ending? Either way, they clearly were intrigued by the story, which was enhanced by Camio's aria.

"It goes to show that you can pack a lot into a very short amount of time," Borowitz said.

The story begins with the comedy troupe making its entrance to the cheers of villagers anticipating a great performance. Camio already suspects Nedda is cheating on him, and as the story progresses, it's clear that he's right.

This is where performance and real-life begin crossing paths. Camio, in the middle of the show, demands to know the name of Nedda's lover. The audience believes the banter is part of the show until it's too late.

A cast of 40

Opera Louisiane will stage a cast of some 40, which includes 30 chorus members. The chorus also includes children, and all will perform to a live orchestra.

"The music in this opera is not really that tricky," Borowitz said. "It sings itself pretty well, and Leoncavallo's real attention was to drama."

There's no denying how "Pagliacci's" popularity extends beyond the opera, itself. Groves points out that even "Seinfeld" featured "Pagliacci" in an episode, where the lives of the series' characters began imitating those in the opera.

"It was hilarious," Groves said. "Here's something else that's interesting: My dad was head of the music department at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, and the fight song for the football team starts out with the tenor aria from 'Pagliacci.' After that, it goes into the Cajun song, 'Jolie Blonde.'"

The stage will be absent of Rice Krispies and Cajun tunes when the curtain opens on Opera Louisiane's "Pagliacci," but there will be two acts of scandal, heartache and drama.

"It's the quintessential Italian opera," Groves said.

Opera Louisiane's 'Pagliacci'

7:30 p.m. Friday, May 16, and 3 p.m. Sunday, May 18

Manship Theatre in the Shaw Center for the Arts, 100 Lafayette St.

$40-$100