s of poetry and romance. At
the same time, the works of Haydn and Mozart, which had already crossed
the frontier, disturbed preconceived notions about the limits of
orchestral colouring, and made the thin little scores of Gretry and his
contemporaries seem doubly jejune. The change in public taste was
gradual, but none the less certain. The opening years of the nineteenth
century saw a singular evolution, if not revolution, in the history of
opera comique.

Meanwhile opera in Italy was pursuing its triumphant course. The
introduction of the finale brought the two great divisions of opera into
closer connection, and most of the great composers of this period
succeeded as well in opera buffa as in opera seria. The impetus given to
the progress of the art by the brilliant Neapolitan school was ably
sustained by such composers as Nicolo Piccinni (1728-1800), a composer
who is now known principally to fame as the unsuccessful rival brought
forward by the Italian party in Paris in the year 1776 in the vain hope
of crushing Gluck. Piccinni sinks into insignificance by the side of
Gluck, but he was nevertheless an able composer, and certainly the
leading representative of the Italian school at the time. He did much to
develop the concerted finale, which before his day had been used with
caution, not to say timidity, and was so constant in his devotion to
the loftiest ideal of art that he died in poverty and starvation.
Cimarosa (1749-1801) is the brightest name of the next generation. He
shone particularly in comedy. His 'Gli Orazi e Curiazi,' which moved his
contemporaries to tears, is now forgotten, but 'Il Matrimonio Segreto'
still delights us with its racy humour and delicate melody. The story is
simplicity itself, but the situations are amusing in themselves, and are
led up to with no little adroitness, Paolino, a young lawyer, has
secretly married Carolina, the daughter of Geronimo, a rich and
avaricious merchant. In order to smooth away the difficulties which must
arise when the inevitable discovery of the marriage takes place, he
tries to secure a rich friend of his own, Count Robinson, for Geronimo's
other daughter, Elisetta. Unfortunately Robinson prefers Carolina, and
proposes himself as son-in-law to Geronimo, who is of course delighted
that his daughter should have secured so unexceptionable a _parti_,
while the horrified Paolino discovers to his great dissatisfaction that
the elderly Fidalma, Geronimo's sister, ha