Calzabigi e Metastasio: Napoli, Parigi, Vienna e ritorno

The relationship between Ranieri Calzabigi and Pietro Metastasio has been examined several times by historians of music and literature. According to some scholars, Calzabigi’s judgment on his older colleague remained consistent over time, while others have highlighted the profound difference between the ideas expressed in the "Dissertazione [...] su le poesie drammatiche del signor abate Pietro Metastasio" (1755) and those contained in the "Risposta di Santigliano" (1790). This essay retraces the stages of the complex bond between the two authors and, with the help of new observations as well as sources hitherto neglected, demonstrates that Calzabigi was influenced by Metastasio's verses in his own 'reform' librettos and continued to appreciate their musicality until the Eighties.