Cavalleria rusticana. One-act opera. Libretto by Guido Menasci and Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti based on a tale by Giovanni Verga. Music by Pietro Mascagni. First performed on 17 May 1890 at the Teatro Costanzi in Roma. First performed at the Gran Teatre del Liceu on 9 May 1891.
Pagliacci. Opera comprising a prologue and two acts. Libretto and music by Ruggero Leoncavallo. First performed on 21 May 1892 at the Teatro dal Verme in Milan. First performed at the Gran Teatre del Liceu on 25 January 1895. The theme of both operas is death arising out of the jealousy of lovers. The prologue to Pagliacci is a veritable manifesto of musical Verism, which aimed to turn opera into a ruthless «slice of life» reflecting the harshness of social reality, in opposition to Romantic excesses. These notions, derived directly from Italian literary Verism, which in turn was inspired by Zola and French naturalism, also affected the music. The orchestra took on the task of maintaining the narrative thread, while the closed structures of 19th century opera were abolished.