“Eteocle e Polinice” da Venezia a Modena : variazioni operistiche sul mito tebano

This article aims to examine the play in three acts Eteocle and Polinice, with a special focus on the comparison between the libretto related to the premiere in 1675 at the Teatro San Salvatore in Venice and the libretto related to the last performance in 1690 at the Teatro Fontanelli in Modena. Although Statius’ Thebaid represents an essential reference point, Eteocle and Polinice shows many significant departures from ancient literature. By analysing the main differences between the two performances, i.e. the identity of the addressee of each libretto and some changes in the characters or in the plot, this essay sheds light on the ways in which librettists in 17th and 18th centuries often dealt with classical texts and myths.