There's a LOT of crying in opera, both men and women. For more variations on this scene, do a search on Sono Andati? Other opera scenes to check out - the endings of "Rigoletto", "La Traviata", "Carmen", and "E lucevan le stele" from "Tosca".

 if you want to see the original crying aria, check out "Vesti la Giubba". It was this aria that really turned me on to opera. I grew up hearing various versions of it, but nobody in my family knew what the guy was singing about. My father's explanation was that he was mourning the loss of a friend. It wasn't until I was in college taking an Opera Appreciation class that I finally was able to read the lyrics in translation while listening to the original.

This is one my favorite version. I'm including both the Italian and English lyrics below so you can follow along. 


The following is from Wikipedia:

"Vesti la giubba" ("Put on the costume") is a famous tenor aria from Ruggero Leoncavallo's 1892 opera Pagliacci. "Vesti la giubba" is sung at the conclusion of the first act, when Canio discovers his wife's infidelity, but must nevertheless prepare for his performance as Pagliaccio the clown because "the show must go on".

Italian
Recitar! Mentre preso dal delirio,
non so più quel che dico,
e quel che faccio!
Eppur è d'uopo, sforzati!
Bah! Sei tu forse un uom?
Tu se' Pagliaccio!

Vesti la giubba e la faccia infarina.
La gente paga, e rider vuole qua.
E se Arlecchin t'invola Colombina,
ridi, Pagliaccio, e ognun applaudirà!
Tramuta in lazzi lo spasmo ed il pianto
in una smorfia il singhiozzo e 'l dolor, Ah!

Ridi, Pagliaccio,
sul tuo amore infranto!
Ridi del duol, che t'avvelena il cor!

English
Act! While in delirium,
I no longer know what I say,
or what I do!
And yet it's necessary... make an effort!
Bah! Are you not a man?
You are a clown!

Put on your costume, powder your face.
The people pay to be here, and they want to laugh.
And if Harlequin shall steal your Columbina,
laugh, clown, so the crowd will cheer!
Turn your distress and tears into jest,
your pain and sobbing into a funny face – Ah!

Laugh, clown,
at your broken love!
Laugh at the grief that poisons your heart!

Last edited by caircair (March 25, 2016 7:23 am)

As I mentioned, you can find plenty of versions of the La Boheme "Sono Andati?" I was searching for a specific version, which I'm unable to find (darn it!) It was by an Australian Opera company from probably 15-20 years ago now, the reason I remember it was because it ended with the tenor sobbing throughout the ending music and even in the silence of the credits. I remember the staging had him on a ladder at the end, but so far I've had absolutely no luck finding that clip! (It doesn't help that I can't remember the name of any of the singers, either.)

Thanks! That will give me something to go on.