[1] It was also shown on Italian and U.S. television[2] and brought Zeffirelli an Emmy Award for Best Director in the category of Classical Music Programming.

The story is set in southern Italy and recounts the tragedy of Canio, the lead clown (or pagliaccio in Italian) in a commedia dell'arte troupe, his wife Nedda, and her lover, Silvio.

[4] The Italian television network RAI had originally wanted to broadcast a live performance of Franco Zeffirelli's 1981 productions of Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci from the stage of La Scala.

In a review of the soundtrack, the Montreal Gazette wrote: "Sound effects are included, which lend to the singing a credibility that you do not always feel on recordings."

The article also praised Domingo and Statas' singing and noted that the original analog recordings of the movie were digitally remastered prior to the soundtrack's release.