Giovanni Battista Pergolesi’s ‘tiny’ opera Maid Made Boss (La serva padrona) only runs for an hour with a cast of three, but punches well above its weight in comic brilliance, musical and historical value. 

A prolific writer of vocal music of all genres, Pergolesi was popular with church, theatre and nobility. His operas are masterpieces in music and characterisation. La serva padrona especially showcases his flair, a superlative example of opera buffa.

La serva padrona continues as the earliest of its type still performed. Typically, there are opposing comic characters, solo arias, a sung dialogue and a finale ending in reconciliation.

Morgan Pearse, Celeste Lazarenko and Gareth Davies in Pinchgurt Opera’s Maid Made Boss. Photo © Anna Kuçera

Intended as a light, two-part palate cleansing intermezzo between the two acts of his opera seria, Il prigionier superbo, La serva padrona soon overtook its companion piece in popularity.

Its Paris performance in 1752, triggered...