Lesley Jane Rogers, sopranoQuentin Hayes, baritoneRoderick Barrand, pianoGarth Bardsley, directorRobert Saxton, 4x4 lead composer
In 1733, and at the age of only 23, Pergolesi’s one-act opera buffa, La Serva Padrona (The Maid as Mistress) launched the young composer’s career into the realms of 18th-century stardom. It tells the story of a manipulative servant girl and her mission to become lady of the manor. Led by Robert Saxton, the evening opens with first performances of four short operatic scenes, written by emerging young professional composers looking to establish themselves on the 21st century soundscape.