Mala vita staged in Rome at Sonzogno's expense. Giordano submitted "Marina". When the winners were announced in March 1890, the three chosen from the 72 entires were Niccola Spinelli's "Labilia", Vincenzo Ferroni's "Rudello", and Mascagni's "Cavalleria rusticana", with "Cavalleria" awarded the First Prize. However, "Marina" received one of the 13 "honourable mentions" and impressed. Amintore Galli, Sonzogno's music advisor, who convinced the publisher to offer a commission to the young Giordano for a full-length opera. The huge success of "Cavalleria rusticana" based on the verismo play of the same name by Giovanni Verga, led to the choice of a similar subject for
Seymour Schwartzman he would reprise in 1969 for San Francisco Opera and in 1971 for Connecticut Opera. Schwartzman had also appeared at San Francisco Opera as Giorgio Germont in "La traviata" (1967), Tonio in "Pagliacci" (1967), and Rigoletto (1968). Although he primarily performed at New York City Opera, Schwartzman also made regular appearances with the Philadelphia Grand Opera Company between 1969 and 1973, singing Alfio in "Cavalleria rusticana", Valentin in "Faust", David in "L'Amico Fritz", Sharpless in "Madame Butterfly", High Priest of Dagon in "Samson et Dalila", and Giorgio Germont in "La traviata". His performances with other opera companies included the Grand