Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria (SV 325, The Return of Ulysses to his Homeland) is an opera by Claudio Monteverdi using a libretto by Giacomo Badoaro. The opera, first performed at the Teatro Santi Giovanni e Paolo in Venice during the 1639–40 carnival, is based on the second half of Homer's Odyssey. It tells how Ulisse (Odysseus) returns from the Trojan Wars and recovers his kingdom. The loyal and virtuous characters are ultimately rewarded, while treachery and deception are overcome. After early performances in Venice and Bologna, the opera remained unperformed until the 20th century.
