Verismo

An Italian operatic school of the late 19th century that is the musical counterpart of the literary realism of Zola, Flaubert, Ibsen, and others.  Instead of the idealistic librettos of earlier operas, realistic subjects from everyday life were chosen, often embellished with violent and theatrical incidents. Coloratura arias and other features of earlier Italian opera were abandoned in favor of a melodramatic recitative that was more naturalistic.  Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana" of 1890 (scenes from peasant life) and Leoncavallo's "Pagliacci" of 1892 (circus life) were the first products of the new movement.  They were followed, in 1900, by Charpentier's more naturalistic "Louise." Puccini's "La Boheme" (1896) represents a somewhat modified, more lyrical veristic opera, but his "Tosca" is an excellent example of the full-blown verismo style.