La serva padrona
Piccinni's first opera, "Le donne dispettose", was produced in 1755 with the patronage of Prince Vintimille. In 1760 he composed, at Rome, the "chef d'œuvre" of his early life, "La Cecchina, ossia la buona Figliuola", an "opera buffa" with a libretto by Goldoni, which "enjoyed a two-year run in Rome and was played in all the important European capitals. It can probably be called the most popular opera buffa of the 18th century...[even more than]... Pergolesi's "La serva padrona"...[and]... The first of the new era, culminating in the masterworks of Mozart."