Tulane Opera - La serva padrona
Tulane Opera presents Pergolesi’s opera La serva padrona (The Maid Becomes Mistress) in an English language translation conducted by Maxim Samarov with stage direction by Amy Pfrimmer.
La serva padrona pits the wily maidservant Serpina against her master Uberto in a battle of wits that ends in marriage. The plot itself is silly, to be sure, but the opera has stood the test of time.
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi wrote the work as a comic intermezzo to be performed in 1733 Naples between acts of his opera seria, Il prigionier suberbo (The Proud Prisoner).
Bridging the stylistic gap between the baroque and classical periods, Pergolesi’s intermezzo was so popular, it soon was presented as an opera in its own right and was performed throughout Europe. The comedic style combines humor with social implications, establishing the prototype of feminine wit, with victorious heroine identified by her common sense and ingenuity.
When La serva padrona premiered in 1750s Paris, Pergolesi’s work caused a major debate between supporters of Italian opera buffa and French opera. That musical revolution was known as the Querelle des bouffons (Quarrel of the Comedians). The battle of words and pamphlets lasted two years and saw French cultural norms being compared to and defended against Italian. Opposing sides of French literary society battled over which operatic tradition – French or Italian – was the better. “In reality, the debate had a crucial subtext – a political and aesthetic polarization of the principles of the King of France, and the Queen on the other; of the traditional ideals of society and thinking against an emerging philosophy of the enlightenment; of the desire to create less rhetorical art form.” (BBC) The eventual outcome was that Italian comedic operas became accepted and French opera eventually opened itself to outside musical influences.
Pergolesi’s characters, plot, and musical motifs influenced later composers, including Mozart, Donizetti, and Rossini. Nearly three centuries later, La serva padrona continues to amuse and captivate audiences.
La serva padrona is currently being workshopped by Tulane Opera with performances at 6:30PM and 8PM, March 21-22, 2025. Admission is free with ID to Tulane affiliates and $10 general admission.
