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Dianora

Dianora (DEE-ah-NOR-ah) is an Italian name found in the opera La Spinalba. The author of the libretto is unknown, but the music was written by Francisco Antonio de Almeida. The character named Dianora is not the main character, she is instead the step mother who is confused by her step-daughter's actions. While her step daughter Spinalba and niece Elisa are trying to fall in love and avoid certain suitors, Dianora's husband goes mad that his daughter (Spinalba) is running around town dressed as a man to thwart Elisa's potential love-match with Spinalba's betrothed. Throw in a few more suitors and the whole thing becomes even more comedic, but eventually Dianora figures out what's going on and decides on a plan of action, setting everyone straight.

As a variant of Diana, Dianora means "divine." Many Italians currently have this name, and it can be traced back to the mid-1400s. However, it is unused in the U.S. and exceedingly rare.
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