Verismo

Verismo is a style of Italian opera distinguished by often sordid or violent depictions of everyday life (especially life of the lower classes), as opposed to historical or mythological subjects. Verismo works aim at realism.

Verismo came to the fore in the late Romantic period. An influential early verismo opera was Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana. Later composers of verismo opera include Ruggero Leoncavallo (whose I Pagliacci is often coupled with Cavalleria), Giacomo Puccini and Umberto Giordano.

See also: Italian neorealism