LA SERVA PADRONA (Pergolesi)

This is an entertaining story of Serpina (La serva), a smart young woman who has taken care of her guardian, Umberto, more than he has taken care of her. “La serva” (Italian for servant) is really “la padrona” (the head of the household). Umberto is looking to marry but is blind to Serpina's affection. Through a series of comic developments, Serpina triumphs. Guess who is surprised at the end.
La Serva Padrona is based on a libretto by Gennaro Antonio Federico. The characters in the opera echo the familiar stock characters of the Italian commedia dell'arte. La Serva Padrona was hugely popular and instrumental in establishing Italian comic opera as an international presence in the eighteenth century. The opera was so impactful in Paris that it triggered a major controversy.