Socrate immaginario and Convitato di pietra are profound testimonies to the continued vibrancy and sophistication of comic opera practices in late eighteenthcentury Naples. Both of these works demonstrate the conventional and innovative in their relationships, whether in the utilization of theatrical and musical topoi reflecting the international brand of opera buffa or their acute sensitivities to Neapolitan traditions. These works offer ultimately profound points of reflection about the society in which they were created. The commedia of the late eighteenth century bore the full impact of the Enlightenment, transforming local idioms into signifiers of cultural identity and traditionally plebian archetypes into articulate, intelligent advocates for those most marginalized. While Don Tammaro questions the benefit of antiquity to the broader population, his ultimate realization of futility represents in some quarters the death of reason in a kingdom continually beset by the political inertia of feudalism. Eight years later, Pulcinella nevertheless promotes the gospel of political economy, testifying to the growing impact of Genovesi, his public forum, and growing legacy of disciples. These works are also a powerful testimony to the public forum of ideas created by the commedia. Audiences went to the theater not solely to be entertained but to also to be enlightened, engaged, and immersed in critical thought and open discourse.