Vittorio Alfieri
Tragedy and prose poet, born in 1749 at Asti from noble family, studied at the Military Academy of Torino where he became standard bearer of Asti regiment in 1766. He well travelled over Europe and in 1772 settled in Torino where an unreciprocated love incited him to write his first tragedy "Cleopatra", finished in 1773 and perfomed in June at Carignano theatre of Torino with success. In 1777 he knew Luisa Stolberg in Florence, wife of the Earl of Albany, from who he had a notable incentive to write new works. When the woman, leaved the husband, decided to live with him, Alfieri leaved Torino and went to live in Florence with her. He continued to travel; in 1785 was at Colmar in Alsazia, after he went to Paris where he remained until to 1792, year in which he was forced to escape due to the revolution and returned to Florence, where he continued his studies and tragedies. Here he died on 8 ottobre 1803 and was buried in Santa Croce Church, where Canova sculped his funeral monument. He composed 19 tragedies: Cleopatra, the first, and Filippo, Polinice, Antigone, Virginia, Agamennone, Oreste, Rosmunda, Ottavia, Timoleone, Merope, Maria Stuarda, La congiura dei Pazzi, Don Garzia, Saul, Agide, Sofonisba, Bruto I, Mirra, Bruto II. Among the prose works: Del principe e delle lettere and Della Tirannide.
ecran tisse de precision