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, has cast languishing eyes upon himself.  There is nothing for the young couple but flight, but unfortunately as they are making their escape they are discovered, and their secret is soon extorted.  Geronimo’s wrath is tremendous, but in the end matters are satisfactorily arranged, and the amiable Robinson after all expresses himself content with the charms of Elisetta.  ’Il Matrimonio Segreto’ was produced at Vienna in 1792, and proved so very much to the taste of the Emperor Leopold, who was present at the performance, that he gave all the singers and musicians a magnificent supper, and then insisted upon their performing the opera again from beginning to end.  Cimarosa was a prolific writer, the number of his operas reaching the formidable total of seventy-six; but, save for ’Il Matrimonio Segreto,’ they have all been consigned to oblivion.  Although he was born only seven years before Mozart, and actually survived him for ten years, he belongs entirely to the earlier school of opera buffa.  His talent is thoroughly Italian, untouched by German influence, and he excels in portraying the gay superficiality of the Italian character without attempting to dive far below the surface.