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Pietro Metastasio - Biography

Metastasio: The Life and Work of the Great Italian Librettist

Pietro (1698-1782) is the name that remains the greatest Italian librettist of all time. His influence on opera art is hard to overstate, and his lyrics have become the basis for some of opera's most famous works. In this article, we invite you to learn more about the life and work of Pietro Metastasio, his connection to opera and the legacy he left in the world of music and theater.

Pietro was born on January 3, 1698 in Rome, Italy. He was an orphan and was raised in a monastery. Already at an early age, his love for word and literature manifested itself. After completing his education at the monastery, he began to write poetry and dramatic works.

Soon he gained fame for his talents in the field of libretto and began to collaborate with the leading opera composers of his time. His first famous libretto was a work for the opera Alexander in India by Leonardo Vinci, which was staged in 1723.

Metastasio moved to Venice, where his talent quickly gained popularity. He began to invite great composers such as Antonio Vivaldi and Domenico Scarlatti to work on their libretto. His work is considered a key element of the Venice Opera School.

One of the most famous co-authors was his collaboration with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He wrote the libretto for several of Mozart's operas, including "Don Giovanni" and "The Wedding of Figaro." These operas remain classics and among the most popular works in opera history.