INTERMEZZO. An interlude or entr'acte of a light and pleasing character serving as a contrast between the acts of a more serious drama or tragedy, and, in its developed form, con tinuing as an independent piece in this manner throughout the whole work, two entirely independent works, one serious and one light, being thus presented in alternate instalments. Pergolesi's famous La serva Padrona was such an intermezzo as originally produced. Nowadays the term is more generally applied to a short piece introduced between the larger movements of a symphony or sonata or to an independent short composition.