La serva padrona (The Servant Turned Mistress) at Hungarian State Opera, Operaház - Szfinx terasz

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2. La serva padrona (The Servant Turned Mistress)

Naples was shaken twice in the 1700s. The first time was by an earthquake in 1732 that was so destructive, it forced all the theatres to close for six months. The other took place in the autumn of 1733 during the premiere of the 23-year-old Pergolesi's opera Il prigionier superbo (The Proud Prisoner) ? which was, incidentally, the first performance to be held after the earthquake. Il prigionier superbo itself never took off, and it is only due to the popularity of its intermezzo that the work is at all noteworthy today.

La serva padrona achieved instant fame and was soon being played as a separate work both inside and outside Italy. Many consider the work to be the bridge linking the baroque period to the classical, as well as the precursor to French opéra comique. In addition to its significance to operatic history, however, the work is also of the greatest virtue both in terms of its irresistibly fun story and fantastic music, which make it fine entertainment and an exceptional experience for younger viewers too.