libretto

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libretto (It.). Little book. The text of a vocal work, particularly opera. Author is ‘librettist’. First known was for Peri's Dafne (1594–8). Among famous librettists have been Metastasio, da Ponte, Scribe, Romani, Piave, Illica, Gilbert, Boito, Hofmannsthal, Auden and Kallman, and Myfanwy Piper. Some composers have written own libs., e.g. Wagner, Leoncavallo, Delius, and Tippett.

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