This celebrated Italian lyric and dramatic poet was born at Rome, in
1698, of parents in humble life, whose names were Trapassi. At ten years
of age, he was distinguished by his talents as an _improvvisatore_. The
eminent jurist, Gravina, who amused himself with writing bad tragedies,
was walking near the Campus Martius one summer’s evening, in company
with the abbé Lorenzini, when they heard a sweet and powerful voice,
modulating verses with the greatest fluency to the measure of the canto
_improvviso_. On approaching the shop of Trapassi, whence the melody
proceeded, they were surprised to see a lovely boy pouring forth elegant
verses on the persons and objects which surrounded him, and their
admiration was increased by the graceful compliments which he took an
opportunity of addressing to themselves. When the youthful poet had
concluded, Gravina called him to him, and, with many encomiums and
caresses, offered him a piece of money, which the boy politely declined.
He then inquired into his situation and employment, and being struck
with the intelligence of his replies, proposed to his parents to educate
him as his own child. They consented, and Gravina changed his name from
Trapassi to Metastasio, and gave him a careful and excellent education
for his own profession.
At fourteen years of age, Metastasio produced his tragedy of “Giustino,”
which so pleased Gravina, that he took him to Naples, where he contended
with and excelled some of the most celebrated improvisatori of Italy. He
still, however, continued his study of the law, and with a view to the
only two channels of preferment which prevail at Rome, also assumed the
minor order of priesthood, whence his title of abate. In 1718, death
deprived him of his patron, who bequeathed to him the whole of his
personal property, amounting to fifteen thousand crowns. Of too liberal
and hospitable a disposition, he gradually made away with this provision
and then resolved to apply more closely to the law. He repaired to
Naples, to study for that purpose, but becoming acquainted with
Brugnatelli, usually called “the Romanina,” the most celebrated actress
and singer in Italy, he gave himself up entirely to harmony and poetry.
The extraordinary success of his first opera, “Gli Orti Esperidi,”
confirmed him in this resolution, and joining his establishment to that
of “the Romanina” and her husband, in a short time he composed three new
dramas, “Cato in Utica,” “Ezio,” and “Semiramide.” He followed these
with several more of still greater celebrity, until, in 1730, he
received and accepted an invitation from the court of Vienna, to take up
his residence in that capital, as coadjutor to the imperial laureate,
Apostolo Zeno, whom he ultimately succeeded. From that period, the life
of Metastasio presented a calm uniformity for upwards of half a century.
He retained the favour of the imperial family undiminished, for his
extraordinary talents were admirably seconded by the even tenor of his
private character, and avoidance of court intrigue. Indefatigable as a
poet, he composed no less than twenty-six operas, and eight oratorios,
or sacred dramas, besides cantatas, canzoni, sonnets, and minor pieces
to a great amount. The poetical characteristics of Metastasio are
sweetness, correctness, purity, simplicity, gentle pathos, and refined
and elevated sentiment. There is less of nature than of elegance and
beauty in his dramas, which consequently appear insipid to those who
have been nourished with stronger poetic aliment.
Dr. Burney, who saw Metastasio at the age of seventy-two, describes him
as looking like one of fifty, and as the gayest and handsomest man, of
his time of life, he had ever beheld. He died after a short illness at
Vienna, in April 1782, having completed his eighty-fourth year, leaving
a considerable property in money, books, and valuables. Besides his
numerous works, which have been translated into most of the European
languages, a large collection of his letters, published since his death,
supplied copious materials for his biography.[97]
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Mrs. Piozzi gives an amusing account of Metastasio in his latter days.
She says:--
“Here (at Vienna) are many ladies of fashion very eminent for their
musical abilities, particularly mesdemoiselles de Martinas, one of whom
is member of the academies of Berlin and Bologna: the celebrated
Metastasio died in their house, after having lived with the family
sixty-five years more or less. They set his poetry and sing it very
finely, appearing to recollect his conversation and friendship with
infinite tenderness and delight. He was to have been presented to the
pope the very day he died, and in the delirium which immediately
preceded dissolution, raved much of the supposed interview. Unwilling to
hear of death, no one was ever permitted to mention it before him; and
nothing put him so certainly out of humour, as finding that rule
transgressed. Even the small-pox was not to be named in his presence,
and whoever did name that disorder, though unconscious of the offence he
had given, Metastasio would see no more.”
Mrs. Piozzi adds, “The other peculiarities I could gather from Miss
Martinas were these: that he had contentedly lived half a century at
Vienna, without ever even wishing to learn its language; that he had
never given more than five guineas English money in all that time to the
poor; that he always sat in the same seat at church, but never paid for
it, and that nobody dared ask him for the trifling sum; that he was
grateful and beneficent to the friends who began by being his
protectors, but who, in the end, were his debtors, for solid benefits as
well as for elegant presents, which it was his delight to be perpetually
making. He left to them at last all he had ever gained, without the
charge even of a single legacy; observing in his will, that it was to
them he owed it, and that other conduct would in him have been
injustice. He never changed the fashion of his wig, or the cut or colour
of his coat, so that his portrait, taken not very long ago, looks like
those of Boileau or Moliere at the head of their works. His life was
arranged with such methodical exactness, that he rose, studied, chatted,
slept, and dined, at the same hours, for fifty years together, enjoying
uninterrupted health, which probably gave him that happy sweetness of
temper, or habitual gentleness of manners, which was never ruffled,
except when his sole injunction was forgotten, and the death of any
person whatever was unwittingly mentioned before him. No solicitation
had ever prevailed on him to dine from home, nor had his nearest
intimates ever seen him _eat_ more than a biscuit with his lemonade,
every meal being performed with even mysterious privacy to the last.
When his end approached by rapid steps, he did not in the least suspect
that it was coming; and mademoiselle Martinas has scarcely yet done
rejoicing in the thought that he escaped the preparations he so dreaded.
Latterly, all his pleasures were confined to music and conversation; and
the delight he took in hearing the lady he lived with sing his songs,
was visible to every one. An Italian abate here said, comically enough,
‘Oh! he always looked like a man in the state of beatification when
mademoiselle de Martinas accompanied his verses with her fine voice and
brilliant finger.’ The father of Metastasio was a goldsmith at Rome, but
his son had so devoted himself to the family he lived with, that he
refused to hear, and took pains not to know, whether he had in his
latter days any one relation left in the world.”
We have a life of Metastasio, chiefly derived from his correspondence,
by Dr. Burney.
[97] General Biog. Dict. Dict. of Musicians.
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