Ignacio Balbi

Italian composer Ignacio Balbi is a mysterious figure whose long lifespan covers the transition from the late Baroque to the early Classical period. Although his birthdate is unknown, he is estimated as having been born, probably in Milan sometime between 1695 to 1700. His earliest known work, the Oratorio della Madonna de' sette dolori, is dedicated to Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI and dated February 24, 1720; Balbi signs himself as "dilettante," the typical identification then to signify an amateur composer.