Siciliana another set of variations by Brahms, the orchestral Variations on a Theme by Haydn (1873), the 7th variation also takes the form of a siciliana. The second of Moritz Moszkowski's "Trois Morceaux poétiques", Op. 42 (1887), is a Siciliano. Hélène's aria, "Merci, jeunes amies" ("Thank you, beloved friends") from Verdi's opera "Les vêpres siciliennes" is another example of a siciliana, suited to its setting, and is referred to as such in the score, even though it is popularly called a bolero. The opening aria of Mascagni's masterpiece "Cavalleria rusticana" is the Siciliana "O Lola". Ernest Chausson composed a sicilienne as
Cavalleria rusticana it was presented as "La giostra dei falchi" in 1914. "Cavalleria rusticana" opened on the evening of 17 May 1890 at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome to a half empty house. However, the audience included not only the most authoritative music critics in the country but also Queen Margherita, a great music lover. It was a success from its opening notes. Following Stagno's rendition of the Siciliana behind the curtain the audience leaped to their feet with a thunderous applause not heard for many years. The Siciliana was encored as were several other numbers in the opera. It was a