Giacinto Andrea Cicognini

Giacinto Andrea Cicognini
Born	1606 Florence
Died	1651 (aged 44–45) Venice

Giacinto Andrea Cicognini (1606, Florence ‐ 1651, Venice?) was a playwright and librettist Italian son of the poet and playwright Jacopo Cicognini.

In 1627, he graduated in law at the University of Pisa and from 1640 to 1645 he was in Florence to legally assist the poet and playwright Gian Battista Ricciardi. In 1646, he wrote his first libretto, Il Celio, which was set to music by Sapiti and Baglioni. Later that year we find him in Venice, working as secretary to Frascesco Boldieri, a nobleman who ran the religious headquarters of the Cavalieri Ospitalieri di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme. At the same time, he acquired considerable fame both as a dramatist and as a librettist, producing various dramatic works, tragedies, comedies, sacred comedies and opera libretti, almost all written for Venetian opera houses. His dramatic works were set to music by the most famous composers of the time, including Francesco Cavalli, Antonio Cesti and Francesco Lucio.

Cicognini was one of the most important figures in 17th-century drama set to music, in which he fused elements of both tragedy and comedy and sometimes received some influences from the Spanish literature of the time (Pedro Calderón de la Barca, Tirso de Molina). His most famous works were L'Orontea and Il Giasone (set to music by Pietro Antonio Cesti and Cavalli respectively), the two most popular melodramas in Europe during the 17th century.

His plays were of considerable importance especially for their erudition, language and technical scenic solutions comparable to those of the Commedia dell'Arte. (Translated from Wikipedia)

Giacinto Andrea Cicognini in Philippe Jaroussky's discography, filmography and performance history

Studio albums

Year	Studio album
2017 (recorded)	Ombra mai fu (Album)

Complete list of musical pieces using words by Giacinto Andrea Cicognini

This listing only reflects the musical pieces performed by Philippe Jaroussky.

Year published or performed	Title	Composer	Work	Album, video or concert program	Year first published/performed
2017 (recorded)	"Delizie, contenti"	Il Giasone	Francesco Cavalli	Ombra mai fu (Album)	1649