Born: 1553-1599
Nationality: Italian
Education/Training: Studied with Giovanni Contino, who was maestro di cappella in Brescia, where Marenzio was probably a choirboy
Best Known For: His use of word-painting and his experiments with chromaticism; influence on other composers including Monteverdi, Gesualdo and Hans Hassler; was also known at the time as an expert lutenist
Notable Compositions: most famous for over 500 madrigals, including O voi che sospirate a miglior note; Belle ne fe natura; Chi dal delfino aita
Assignments: Served as the Maestro di Cappella for the court of Cardinal d'Este and for the court of Sigismund III Vasa in Warsaw; also worked for the Gonzaga and Medici families and spent much of his career in Rome