Carlo Gozzi

Born in Venice in 1720, Carlo Gozzi came from an old aristocratic family whose finances had declined. As a young man he spent time in military service in Dalmatia before returning to Venice, where he became known for his lively mind and literary interests.

He is best remembered as a playwright who defended traditional Italian theater against newer realistic trends associated with writers such as Carlo Goldoni and Pietro Chiari. Gozzi became famous for his fiabe teatrali, or theatrical fairy tales, which blended commedia dell’arte masks, fantasy plots, and satire. Among his best-known works are The Love for Three Oranges and Turandot.

Gozzi also wrote poetry, prose, and an autobiography, Memorie inutili. He died in Venice in 1806, but his dramatic imagination traveled far beyond his own century, inspiring later playwrights, composers, and directors across Europe.