ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the intersections between the Neapolitan Enlightenment, the rise of antiquarian studies, and the dramatic stage of comic opera in the second half of the eighteenth century. The variety of the poetic content is mirrored in the principal musical themes and overall structure of Giovanni Paisiello's setting for the aria. The satire of Socrate immaginario extended well beyond the figure of Saverio Mattei, channeling diverse social contexts of contemporary Naples. It was an antiquarian fascination that had been carefully cultivated, managed, and even controlled by the Bourbon monarchy as a powerful expression of its own sovereignty and even legitimacy to reign. The fate of Socrate immaginario is a clear measure of political realities in the kingdom in the late eighteenth century. Theater, even the comic stage, was carefully monitored and regulated by those in authority. The success de scandal represented a significant landmark for its creators. For Galiani, the comedic theaters provided a direction for his future work.
