ABSTRACT
Venice, that unique city, the home of the carnival, in which there is a constant swing between the real and unreal, is a natural setting for disguise, mask and masquerade. The outstanding Venetian librettist of the seventeenth century is Gian Francesco Busenello. A consideration of the titles of the librettos written by Busenello reveals that he did not abandon the pastoral drama which made the Florentine and Mantuan melodrama a success. Busenello demonstrated an interest in historical drama, reflecting further common ground between the operatic and straight theatre of the day. Giacomo Badoaro wrote principally librettos based on classical plots. He collaborated with Monteverdi, Cavalli and Sacrati, and was a member of the Accademia degli Incogniti. It was written for the Venetian stage by a composer from Arezzo, who studied with Roman teachers, and its libretto was by Giacinto Andrea Cicognini, a Tuscan who had spent some years in Venice.
