Gabriello Chiabrera

Gabriello Chiabrera was born on 18 June 1552 in Savona - died on 14 October 1638 in Savona.

Since 1638 he is buried in the church of San Giacomo in Savona, in what was the family chapel.

He studied in the library of the convent of San Giacomo, we still have some ancient books with his signature for note of possession.

One of the founders of the melodrama genre with the opera Il rapimento di Cefalo, represented in 1600 in Florence at the wedding of Maria de' Medici to Henry IV of France.

Also in the early seventeenth century, the Chiabrera is linked to the court of the Gonzaga of Mantua, and here too he will be paid for life without obligation of residence. For it the poet will compose many dramas (among which we remember at least the intermezzo for the Hydropics of Battista Guarini of 1605) and collaborates Claudio Monteverdi n various pieces.

But the true peak of Chiabrera’s career was reached after 1623 with the election to the papal throne of his old friend of studies Maffeo Barberini, Pope Urban VIII.

After the works of 1628 with the publication of the Songs for Urban VIII , he retired to Legino in his country villa.