Giovanni Battista Pergolesi

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, originally named Giovanni Battista Draghi, was an eminent Italian Baroque composer, violinist, and organist and a vital exponent of the Neapolitan school. His life was truncated by tuberculosis at the age of 26, but he nevertheless created works of significant artistic and historical merit. His contributions notably include 'La serva padrona', pivotal for opera buffa in Europe; 'L'Olimpiade', a masterpiece of opera seria; and his 'Stabat Mater', a cornerstone of sacred music.