Pietro Metastasio: Poet and Librettist

​Piazza della Chiesa Nuova

Statue of Pietro Metastasio by Emilio Gallori

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The statue of the Roman poet and librettist Pietro Metastasio (1698-1782), which stands in Piazza della Chiesa Nuova, is the work of the Florentine sculptor Emilio Gallori (1846-1924).

The monument to Metastasio, whose real name was Pietro Antonio Domenico Trapassi, first stood in Piazza San Silvestro where it was inaugurated on April 21st, 1886. In 1910 it was moved to Piazza della Chiesa Nuova, not far from the poet's birthplace in Via dei Cappellari.

Metastasio is considered the most important writer of libretti for opera seria, a musical term that refers to the noble and serious style of Italian opera which predominated in 18th century Europe.