Yet a third venture was an Italian season given  by Signor Lago at the Shaftesbury Theatre. This  was notable chiefly for the first production in  England of Pietro Mascagni's “Cavalleria Rusticana," which, I need scarcely say, created a sensation. The performance (conducted by Arditi)  was not to be compared with those subsequently  heard at the leading opera-house, but it served; and the fame of the young Italian composer  spread with marvelous rapidity. It should be  noted that Marie Brema here made a modest but  effective debut in opera as Lola; while the cast  further comprised Adelaide Musiani (Santuzza), Grace Damian (Lucia) and  Francesco Vignas (Turiddu).