Luigi Groto

Luigi Groto, also called Cieco d'Adria or Cieco D'Hadria, was a blind Italian poet, lutenist, playwright and actor. Groto was born in Veneto and lost his sight eight days after birth. He studied philosophy and literature with such success that at the age of 15 he was already a public orator. He was often in Venice as an envoy from Veneto, and entertained with public performances of his songs. In 1565 he was appointed president of the newly founded Academy of Illustrati of Adria. He died in Venice, having just come from the theater where he had played the role of the blind King Oedipus. In 1623 Filippo Bonaffino set some of his poetry to music in a book of madrigals.