Adriana Basile facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adriana Basile
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Signora Adriana Basile. [1628]
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| Born | c. 1580 Posillipo
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| Died | c. 1640 |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Occupation | composer and singer |
Adriana Basile was a talented Italian composer and singer. She lived from around 1580 to about 1640.
Her Life and Family
Adriana Basile was born in Posillipo, Italy. She later passed away in Rome. Around 1610, she began working for the powerful Gonzaga family. They were dukes who ruled in Mantua.
Many members of Adriana's family also worked at the Gonzaga court. Her brothers, Giambattista Basile and Lelio Basile, were a poet and a composer. Her sisters, Margherita and Vittoria, were also singers. Adriana's husband, Mutio Baroni, and their three children were also part of the court. Her daughters, Leonora and Caterina, became famous singers themselves.
A very famous composer named Claudio Monteverdi said that Adriana Basile was an even better singer than Francesca Caccini. Francesca was another well-known singer at the time.
Performances and Travels
Duke Vincenzo Gonzaga thought highly of Adriana. He even gave her a special title in a place called Monferrato. Vincenzo's sons, Francesco and Ferdinando, also respected her talent.
While working for the Gonzaga family, Adriana traveled a lot. She performed in big cities like Florence, Rome, Naples, and Modena. She was part of a play called Licori, ovvero L’incanto d’amore by Alessandro Guarini. In 1626, Adriana stopped working for the Gonzagas. She then moved to Naples and later to Rome.
Her Legacy
Sadly, none of Adriana Basile's own music has survived to today. However, we know she was very good at making up music on the spot. She would improvise on poems. She even had a musical competition with Francesca Caccini in 1623.
Many composers wrote music to honor Adriana. Also, a book of poems praising her was published. It was called "Il teatro delle glorie" and came out in 1623. A bigger version was printed in 1628.
Some people believe that a painting by Antiveduto Gramatica shows Adriana's harp. The painting is of Saint Cecilia with two musical angels. The harp in the painting has the Gonzaga family's symbols on it. It also shows Adriana's own family symbol.
See also
In Spanish: Adriana Basile para niños
