During the 1763–64 season, numerous intersections and connections occur behind the scenes of the principal Neapolitan opera house of Teatro di San Carlo. On the one hand, the focus on Metastasian repertoire persists without interruptions – a long and boundless tradition which will only fade towards the end of the century; on the other hand, Hasse’s world still exerts its fascination.
Along with Metastasio’s
In the Neapolitan context Cochetta revealed herself in all her splendour, yet also giving a hard time to all those who were in charge of the San Carlo. The selected repertoire was thus a kind of compromise, a diplomatic act aimed to ‘tame’ the stubborn soprano through an offer of operas suited to her voice and skills, and in all likelihood they were works proposed by herself. While the scores of