This web-site about the «commedeja pe museca» (commedia per musica, or comic opera) is an ongoing project, whose aim is to present accurate and philologically reliable transcriptions of all the extant libretti from the seasons 1707-1750, i.e. from the first establishment of the comic genre to its definitive national and international acknowledgment. We intend to provide a useful overview of this 18th-century musical and dramatic genre for two reasons: first, to acknowledge and explore its serial development over time, and secondly to permit scholars to observe changes, nuances, and differences in style and creativity (albeit slight), which testify to an intense ineraction with the historical and cultural context. It is important to pay attention to the serial dimension of the «commedeja pe museca» in order to understand its origin, development, and ability to establish itself in its theatrical milieu. If we explore these plays both comparatively and in relation to external influences, we should be able to correct any earlier works that compromise an accurate understanding of the phenomenon. This will lead to a better understanding of how central Neapolitan comic opera was to to the theatrical theory and practice of the age of the Enlightenment.

The librettos are currently being digitized and inserted into the data base. The introductory section is constantly updated. Along with the basic information about each libretto (edited by a single scholar according to a common scientific framework), specific bibliographic references will be given, mentioning the premiere and the lifespan of that work on stage. Subsequently an Italian translation of the sections written in Neapolitan will be provided, along with an explanation of terms and expressions which could be difficult to decipher. A search engine will allow visitors to search the corpus in various ways, while a lexicon and an index of names and places, identified and registered, will offer further support in using the website.