Giovanni Gualberto Bottarelli wrote the

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

for several

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

s to which

Johann Christian Bach Johann Christian Bach (September 5, 1735 – January 1, 1782) was a German composer of the Classical period (music), Classical era, the eighteenth child of Johann Sebastian Bach, and the youngest of his eleven sons. After living in Italy for ...

wrote the music, and adapted many other operas. The first collaboration with Bach was ''Orione'', performed at the King's Theatre (now Her Majesty's Theatre) in

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to great acclaim in February 1763. '' Zanaida'', a three-act opera debuted in London in May 1763, but was less well received. Other works were "''Addio di Londra''", "''Carattaco''", "''Cesare e Cleopatra''", "''Il Cid'' ", "''L'Endimione''", and "''Rodelinda regina de' Longobardi''". ''Il ré pastore'' (The royal shepherd), adapted by Bottarelli, was printed in London in 1765. Bottarelli was a witness in a court case against

Casanova Giacomo Girolamo Casanova (, ; 2 April 1725 – 4 June 1798) was an Italian adventurer and author from the Republic of Venice. His autobiography, (''Story of My Life''), is regarded as one of the most authentic sources of information about the c ...

, who reported of him "Botarelli publishes in a pamphlet all the ceremonies of the Freemasons, and the only sentence passed on him is: 'He is a scoundrel. We knew that before!'" Casanova also calls Bottarelli a rascal, after meeting him and his family in penury, and reports that Bottarelli had been a monk in his native city, Pisa, and had fled to England with his wife, who had been a nun.

References

Italian opera librettists 18th-century Italian writers 18th-century Italian male writers Year of birth missing Year of death missing {{Opera-bio-stub