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.