Fifty selected Poems, set for Voice

Torquato Tasso, born on 11 March 1544 in Sorrento, Italy, was a major 16th-century poet. His father, Bernardo Tasso, was also renowned for his poetry, while his mother, Porzia de Rossi, was descended from a noble Neapolitan family. The Tasso family’s financial fortunes were adversely affected by their political conflicts. When the Prince of Salerno clashed with the Spanish authorities in Naples, he was subsequently declared an outlaw and stripped of his inherited lands. Tasso's father, an ally of the prince, faced a similar fate. Both he and his son Torquato were branded as rebels and their family wealth was confiscated.

Educated by the Jesuits in Naples, Tasso displayed early intellectual brilliance. He moved to Rome around 1556 to join his father in political exile, shortly after which his mother suddenly died. Tasso’s father, desiring a stable career for his son, sent him to study law at Padua, but Tasso’s interest lay rather in philosophy and poetry.

Tasso’s first significant work, “Rinaldo,” written in 1562, revealed his poetic talent. He subsequently entered the service of Cardinal Luigi d’Este and frequented the Este court in Ferrara, where he fell in love with the court lady Lucrezia Bendidio – the muse who inspired his early sonnets. Tasso’s “Gerusalemme Liberata,” an epic poem depicting the First Crusade, is his masterpiece. Its lyrical qualities and fusion of classical and romantic elements gained widespread acclaim, though the content regarding the Crusade is less acceptable now to a modern audience. His lyrical poetry however is atmospheric and charming, and inspired numerous musical settings.

Tasso’s father died in 1569. Throughout his adult life, Tasso struggled with issues of mental health. He exhibited signs of paranoia and his erratic behaviour led to his confinement in the St. Anna asylum in Ferrara from 1579 to 1586. During this period, however, he continued to write, focusing on philosophical works and refining his poetry.

In 1586, Tasso left the asylum and wandered through various Italian cities, subject to financial difficulties and experiencing frequent bouts of ill health. He nonetheless continued to seek recognition for his poetry. In 1594, Pope Clement VIII invited him to Rome to crown him as a poet laureate, but Tasso died at the convent of Sant’Onofrio on 25 April 1595, before the ceremony could be carried out.

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