 He was instrumental in anonymously writing the original libretto for "Gustavo III", an opera which changed its name several times and which finally became "Un ballo in maschera" in 1859.However, in his letter to Somma of 22 April 1853, Verdi laid out some of his reasons for disliking the subjects which Somma had proposed, noting his reservations about repeating subject areas which he had already tackled and observing that "I prefer Shakespeare to all dramatists, not excepting the Greeks".Accordingly, he asked the librettist to take a look at Shakespeare's "King Lear", seeking his ideas.