=The Opera Buffa=.—Though for the sake of contrast, comic characters had been introduced into the opera during the early Venetian period, the _Opera Buffa_ did not reach its full development until the following century. Owing to the absence of certain conventions which had grown around the _Opera Seria_ (serious opera) it became a more characteristic mode of expression than the latter. Its melodies were fresher, its dramatic action was less restrained and truer to life, while it performed a valuable service by doing away with the strange mingling of comic and serious styles which had previously disfigured many otherwise impressive works. To it we owe the concerted Finale which is such a feature of modern grand opera. It is attributed to =Niccolo Logroscino= (1700-1763), who instead of the customary conclusion of an act by a simple duet, trio, or quartet, brought all the _Dramatis Personæ_ on the stage to take part in a characteristic ensemble. Greatly developed by later composers, such finales were for a long time confined to _Opera Buffa_, until Paisiello finally introduced them into serious opera. =Prominent Composers of the Neapolitan School=.—It is hardly possible to mention more than a few of the numerous composers belonging to the Neapolitan school. Besides Pergolesi, the most important works of this school were composed by =Niccolo Porpora= (1685-1767), =Niccolo Jommelli= (1714-1774), =Niccolo Piccini= (1728-1800), =Giovanni Paisiello= (1741-1816) and =Domenico Cimarosa= (1749-1801). Most of these were equally at home in the _Opera Seria_ and the _Opera Buffa_, but their works in the latter style have proved the more enduring.