Pergolesi, Giovanni Battista, pehr gaw LEH zee, joh VAHN nee baht TEES tah (1710-1736), was an Italian composer. In his time, short comic operas called intermezzi were performed between the acts of serious operas. Pergolesi was among the first composers to write comic operas in local dialect. His most significant work, the short comic opera La serva padrona, was first performed between the acts of his serious opera Il prigioner superbo (1733).