Lindoro, Zerlina e gli altri. I nomi degli innamorati nei libretti d'opera

Abstract

Names of Italian opera libretti in the 18th and the 19th centuries show many relationships and semantic connections between the composition of libretti and other literary genres. Some names are chosen mainly because Carlo Goldoni used them, others because they were already familiar to the public. Other names derive their vitality from mythology or from previous uses. Lorenzo Da Ponte’s choices in the libretti written for Mozart are very important and emphasize not only the librettist’s vast learning but also the ‘challenge’ that he issued to the writers of the past.