The opera sacrifices some of the virility of Turiddu's character as sketched by Verga, but by its classic treatment of the scene of the killing it saves us from the contemplation of Alfio's dastardly trick which turns a duel into a cowardly assassination.
The prelude to the opera set the form which Leoncavallo followed, slavishly followed, in "Pagliacci." The orchestral proclamation of the moving passions of the play is made by the use of fragments of melody which in the vocal score mark climaxes in the dialogue.

The first high point in the prelude is reached in the strain to which Santuzza begs for the love of Turiddu even after she has disclosed to him her knowledge of his infidelity:-- [figure: a musical score excerpt] [figure: a musical score excerpt] the second is the broad melody in which she pleads with him to return to her arms:-- [figure: a musical score excerpt] Between these expositions falls the Siciliano, which interrupts the instrumental flood just as Lola's careless song, the Stornello, interrupts the passionate rush of Santuzza's protestations, prayers, and lamentations in the scene between her and her faithless lover:-- [figure: a musical score excerpt setting the words "O Lola, blanca come flor di spino, quando t'affaci ti s'affaccio il sole"] These sharp contrasts, heightened by the device of surprise, form one of the marked characteristics of Mascagni's score and one of the most effective.

We meet it also in the instrumentation--the harp accompaniment to the serenade, the pauses which give piquancy to Lola's ditty, the unison violins, harp arpeggios, and sustained organ chords of the intermezzo.
When the curtain rises it discloses the open square of a Sicilian village, flanked by a church and the inn of Lucia, Turiddu's mother.

It is Easter morning and villagers and peasants are gathering for the Paschal mass.

Church bells ring and the orchestra breaks into the eager melody which a little later we hear combined with the voices which are hymning the pleasant sights and sounds of nature:-- [figure: a musical score excerpt setting the words "tempo e si mormori"] A charming conception is the regular beat and flux and reflux of the women's voices as they sing [figure: a musical score excerpt setting the words "Gliaranci olezzano sui verdi margini cantando le allo do le tra i mirti in flor.