Meaning & use
libretto
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Meanings
nouncountablemusic
The words of an opera, musical or other long sung work, including the story told through the songs and spoken lines.
Grammar: Countable: a libretto, two librettos or libretti.
Patterns
- the libretto of something
- write the libretto for something
The libretto of the opera was written in Italian.
She wrote the libretto for a new musical about the sea.
The composer was unhappy with the libretto and asked for changes.
nouncountablemusic
A printed book or booklet containing the words of an opera or musical, which audiences can follow during the show.
Grammar: Often bought at the theater: she followed the libretto during the performance.
Patterns
- buy a libretto
- follow the libretto
Visitors bought a libretto at the door to follow the story.
The libretto included an English translation beside the Italian text.
He kept the libretto from his first opera as a souvenir.
Word forms
| plural | librettos |
|---|---|
| plural | libretti |
Common combinations
- write a libretto
- The poet agreed to write a libretto for the opera.
- libretto by
- The opera has a libretto by a famous playwright.
- opera libretto
- The opera libretto tells a story of lost love.
- adapt a libretto
- They adapted the libretto from a short novel.
- translate the libretto
- The theater printed the libretto and translated it into English.
Synonyms and how they differ
- script
- A script is the text of a play or film, including spoken lines, while a libretto is specifically the words of a sung work.
- text
- Text is a general word for words in a work, while libretto is the exact name for the words of an opera or musical.
- lyrics
- Lyrics are the words of a song, while a libretto includes the whole story and all the spoken and sung parts of a long work.
Word family
- librettist noun
- the person who writes the words of an opera
- libretti noun
- the Italian-style plural of libretto
- librettos noun
- the English-style plural
Commonly confused: libretto or score? libretto or lyrics?
libretto vs score
A score is the written music for all the instruments and voices, while a libretto is only the words.
libretto vs lyrics
Lyrics are the words of a single song, while a libretto is the full text of a long work such as an opera.
Practice
Who writes the libretto of an opera?
Choose one answer.
The librettist writes the words of an opera. The composer writes the music, the conductor leads the performance, and the choreographer designs dance.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “libretto”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.