Monteverdi
L'Orfeo — birth of opera
Straddling the Renaissance and Baroque, Monteverdi created the first great opera. L'Orfeo took the new invention of dramma per musica and filled it with genuine dramatic power, establishing opera as a serious art form.
Key works
- L'Orfeo1607— The first masterpiece of opera
- L'incoronazione di Poppea1643— Opera's first psychological drama
- Vespers of 16101610— Sacred music of overwhelming grandeur