Poliziano's "Favola Di Orfeo" In the year 1472 the Cardinal Francesco Gonzaga, who had stayed long in Bologna, returned to Mantua.

He was received with jubilant celebrations.
There were banquets, processions and public rejoicings.

It would have been quite unusual if there had been no festival play of some kind.

It is uncertain whether Poliziano's "Orfeo" was written for this occasion, but there seems to be a fair amount of reason for believing that it was.
At any rate it could not have been produced later than 1483, for we know it was made in honor of this Cardinal and that he died in that year.
If the "Orfeo" was played in 1472 it must have been written when its author was no more than eighteen years of age.

But even at that age he was already famous.