"Iris" was followed by "Le Maschere," which was brought out on January 17, 1901, simultaneously in six cities--Rome, Milan, Venice, Genoa, Turin, and Naples.

It made an immediate failure in all of these places except Rome, where it endured but a short time.

Mascagni's next operatic work was a lyric drama, entitled "Vistilia," the libretto of which, based upon an historical novel by Racco de Zerbi, was written by Menasci and Targioni-Tozzetti, who collaborated on the book of "Cavalleria rusticana." The action goes back to the time of Tiberius and deals with the loves of Vistilia and Helius.

Then came another failure in the shape of "Amica," which lived out its life in Monte Carlo, where it was produced in March, 1905.
In the winter of 1902-1903 Signor Mascagni was in the United States for the purpose of conducting performances of some of his operas and giving concerts.

The company of singers and instrumentalists which his American agents had assembled for his purpose was, with a few exceptions, composed of the usual operatic flotsam and jetsam which can be picked up at any time in New York.