«La speranza de’ regni». Celebrazione e spettacolo in tre 'feste' napoletane: Paisiello (1768), Jommelli (1772), Cafaro (1775)

Abstract

The genre of 'festa teatrale' had a large diffusion and a great social and political importance in the Neapolitan culture of the Eighteenth Century. The article examines three main examples, created in connection with crucial dynastic events: the marriage of the young king Ferdinand IV with Maria Carolina of Absburg in 1768, the birth of their first daughter in 1772, and the birth of their first son (and hereditary prince) in 1775. The librettos and the scores are analyzed in detail, with a specific focus on allegorical and celebratory features.