Bartolomeo Merelli (19 May 1794 – 10 April 1879[1]) was an Italian impresario and librettist, best known as the manager of the La Scala Milan opera house between 1829 and 1850, and for his support for the young Giuseppe Verdi.

He moved to Milan around 1812 and worked there as a theatrical agent, at the same time writing a number of librettos for Mayr, Donizetti, Nicola Vaccai and other composers.

[3] He was particularly incensed when he discovered in early September 1839 that Merelli, without consulting him, was mounting a production of Gianni di Parigi which, though composed between 1828 and 1832, had never appeared on stage.

Giovanna d'Arco (1845) was the last of Verdi's operas to be mounted by Merelli, but, although it was a success, there were problems during rehearsals with inadequate scenery and costumes and an orchestra that was too small.

His son, Eugenio (1825–1882) organised tours to European cities such as Edinburgh, Venice, Vienna, Paris, Moscow (according to Tchaikovsky's articles from the early 1870s) and probably St Petersburg.