Domenico Monleone Domenico Monleone Domenico Monleone (January 4, 1875 – 15 January 1942) was an Italian composer of operas, most noted for his opera "Cavalleria rusticana" of 1907, which for a while rivalled the success of Mascagni's work of the same name which was from the same source. The work was the third opera to be based on Verga’s 1884 theatrical adaptation of his own short story, "Cavalleria rusticana", Stanislao Gastaldon’s "Mala Pasqua" (1888) being the first, and Mascagni's famous opera (1890) being the second. Mascagni and his lawyers intervened and Monleone changed the opera ‘beyond recognition’ setting the music to a
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