Composer, Singer. Born in Rome, he settled in Florence and was associated with the Medici court and the Cammerata Society. It was for the latter that he wrote the first work to be called an opera today, "Dafne" (1597, now lost), and the first opera that has survived complete to the present, "Euridice" (1600). He sang the lead tenor roles in both productions. Peri created this new genre, which he called "dramma per musica", in an attempt to recapture the spirit of Greek tragedy, and he chose his subjects from Greek mythology. He is also credited with inventing recitative, a singing style that goes between the arias and the choruses and helps move the plot along. Few of Peri's 20 operas still exist and even "Euridice" is never staged except as a historical curio. In fact his style was already considered outdated by the time of his death. But as the inventor of opera, Peri's influence on the world of Classical Music has been lasting.
Composer, Singer. Born in Rome, he settled in Florence and was associated with the Medici court and the Cammerata Society. It was for the latter that he wrote the first work to be called an opera today, "Dafne" (1597, now lost), and the first opera that has survived complete to the present, "Euridice" (1600). He sang the lead tenor roles in both productions. Peri created this new genre, which he called "dramma per musica", in an attempt to recapture the spirit of Greek tragedy, and he chose his subjects from Greek mythology. He is also credited with inventing recitative, a singing style that goes between the arias and the choruses and helps move the plot along. Few of Peri's 20 operas still exist and even "Euridice" is never staged except as a historical curio. In fact his style was already considered outdated by the time of his death. But as the inventor of opera, Peri's influence on the world of Classical Music has been lasting.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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