Giulio Caccini

Born 8 October 1551, Giulio Romolo Caccini was a composer, singer, instrumentalist, teacher, and writer who straddled the late Renaissance and the dawn of the Baroque. He stood among the founders of opera, that new hybrid of drama and music, and became one of the most influential architects of the Baroque style — championing a leaner, more expressive way of writing for the voice. He taught, performed, and wrote, leaving a mark on the mechanics of how music would sound for generations. He fathered two musical children: Francesca Caccini, who became a composer, and Settimia Caccini, a singer. He…