Giulio Caccini

c.1545-1618 Composer and singer.
Caccini was brought to Florence as a youth by Cosimo I de' Medici, who supported him. Caccini met at the house of Count Bardi, where he was a member of the Florentine Camerata. Caccini was greatly influenced by the other members praise of the Greek dramatic style that he set out to create a new style of song where the notes were almost spoken. For this reason, Caccini is credited with being the inventor of the stile recitativo, a style which is one of the foundations of operatic style. Caccini was very important in the early developments of opera, including writing parts of Peri's Euridice even though he and Peri were rivals. In 1600 Caccini was appointed musical director of the Medici Court replacing Emilio de' Cavalieri. Caccini continued on at the Medici Court, and wrote numerous madrigals as well as being an influential teacher. It is his association with the Florentine Camerata, and his contributions to opera that he is chiefly remembered for.

Sources: Palisca, Claude. The Florentine Camerata. New Haven, Connecticut: The Yale University Press, 1989.