Mascagni's first produced opera (1890), and ultimately his most successful, Cavalleria Rusticana is a tempestuous drama of adultery and revenge set in a remote Italian village. Its earthy passions, bold confrontational scenes and richly melodic score set a fashion for so-called verismo opera that would endure for more than a decade. It is still a great repertoire favorite, almost always double-billed with Ruggiero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci (also available in a Dover edition.) Reprinted from the authoritative edition issued by the German publishers Bote & Bock.