Giovanni Francesco Busenello

Who was Giovanni Francesco Busenello?

Giovanni Francesco Busenello was an Italian lawyer, librettist and poet of the 17th century.

Born to a high-class family of Venice, it is thought that he studied at the University of Padua, where according to himself he was taught by Paolo Sarpi and Cesare Cremonino. He began to practice law in 1623, and is thought to have been highly successful in his chosen profession. He was a member of several literary academies, notably the Umoristi, the Imperfetti, and the Accademia degli Incogniti: the last of these was to dominate the literary aspect of Venetian opera for many years. Busenello's verse output was prolific, and included several poems addressed to singers. He died at Legnaro, nr Padua.

In musical history, he is best remembered for his five libretti, each written for the Venetian opera, and set by Claudio Monteverdi and Francesco Cavalli. His libretto for Gli amori d'Apollo e di Dafne is heavily based on Giovanni Battista Guarini's Il pastor fido, while L'incoronazione di Poppea, set by Monteverdi, is noted among early libretti for the strength and vividness with which the individual characters are sketched.