As winter rolls in, the Royal Opera House heads for the sun with the most famous double-bill in all opera.

Cavalleria Rusticana ('Rustic Chivalry') by Pietro Mascagni and Pagliacci (Clowns) by Ruggero Leoncavallo were not designed to be staged together, but Mascagni had a huge influence on his younger countryman, and the two operas complement each other perfectly.

Damiano Michieletto's production for Covent Garden in 2015 set both operas in the same village in southern Italy, and updated the action to create the sort of small-town community we would recognise today. Designed by Paolo Fantin, with costumes by Carla Teti, its return is very welcome news.

In Cavalleria Rusticana it is Easter day, but the celebrations are shattered by the farm hand Alfio, who has discovered that his wife Santuzza has been unfaithful with the dashing Turiddu. Turiddu's mother tries to intervene as the men confront each other, and the feast day ends in tragedy. 'The Easter Hymn' sung by the chorus is a highlight of the opera.

The American tenor Bryan Hymel, who also plays Henri in Les Vêpres Siciliennes this season, sings Turiddu, with the Latvian mezzo-soprano Elina Garanča (Dec) and the Italian Anna Pirozzi (Jan) as Santuzza.

American tenor Bryan Hymel sings the jealous Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana. Photo: Dario Acosta

Back in the same village for Pagliacci, a troupe of travelling players arrive to perform The Clown and Columbine, but just as in the play, the woman is unfaithful. Italian soprano Carmen Giannatttasio sings the Nedda, with the British baritone Simon Keenlyside as her lover Tonio (Dec, then the Italian Roberto Frontali), and Italian tenor Fabio Sartori making his ROH debut as her jealous husband, Canio. When life and art overlap, it cannot end well.

When it was composed in 1890, Cavalleria Rusticana won an important competition for the then unknown Mascagni. It has been in the repertoire ever since. Leoncavallo, in search of the same degree of success, set about Pagliacci almost immediately, and it was premiered in Milan in 1892.

'Cav and Pag' are an essential item in the opera-lover's collection, and this vivid, heat-filled production will fit the bill very nicely at the turn of the year.

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