In 1586 Gesualdo married his first cousin, Donna Maria d'Avalos, the daughter of the Marquis of Pescara. In addition to Nenna, Gesualdo's accademia included the composers Giovanni de Macque, Scipione Dentice, Scipione Stella, Scipione Lacorcia, Ascanio Mayone, and the nobleman lutenist Ettorre de la Marra. In addition to the lute, he also played the harpsichord and guitar. Regardless of this, however, he had a single-minded devotion to music from an early age, and showed little interest in anything else. Gesualdo had a musical relationship with Pomponio Nenna, though whether it was student to teacher, or colleague to colleague, is uncertain. Even the year of his birth1560 is a matter of some dispute, though a recently discovered letter from his mother indicates he was probably born in that year.

Most likely he was born at Venosa, then part of the Kingdom of Naples, but little else is known about his early life. In addition, Gesualdo's mother, Girolama, was the niece of Pope Pius IV. His uncle was Carlo Borromeo, later Saint Charles Borromeo. Gesualdo's family had acquired the principality of Venosa in 1560. Carlo Gesualdo (Venosa, 8 March 1560 Gesualdo, 8 September 1613), also known as Gesualdo da Venosa (Gesualdo from Venosa), Prince of Venosa and Count of Conza, was an Italian nobleman, lutenist, composer and murderer.Īs a composer of the late Renaissance, he is remembered for writing intensely expressive madrigals and sacred music that use a chromatic language not heard again until the late 19th century.

Celeste principe di un giorno lyrics