null Skip to main content
Page background

Caccini

Giulio Caccini (1551–1618) was an Italian composer, singer, and lutenist at the Medici court in Florence, and a central figure in the birth of opera. As a member of the Florentine Camerata, a circle of poets and musicians who met in the 1570s and 1580s to explore how ancient Greek drama might be revived, he helped develop the expressive, speech-like solo vocal style that made opera possible. His collection Le nuove musiche (1602) is among the most influential music publications of the early seventeenth century. His daughter Francesca became the first woman known to have had an opera professionally performed.

Frequently Asked Questions