06.10 - The premiere of the oldest preserved opera in the world takes place

On October 6, 1600, the world's oldest surviving opera, Euridice, premiered at the Palazzo Pitti in Florence. The music for the work was composed by the Florentine Jacopo Peri, and the libretto was by the poet Ottavio Rinuccini.

Dedicated to the wedding of King Henry IV and Marie de' Medici, the work establishes fundamental techniques for the operatic genre, such as the combination of aria and recitative and the mixing of solo and choral performances.

Jacopo Peri was born in Rome in 1561 and studied music in Florence. His talent was noticed by the Medici family, and Peri became their court tenor, organist, and composer. In the 1590s, Peri became close to Jacopo Corsi, a prominent Florentine patron of music. The two believed that ancient Greek art was superior to modern art, and they set about recreating Greek tragedies.

For this purpose, the Florentine poet Ottavio Rinuccini was hired, whose task was to adapt Greek myths and legends for stage performance. The result of the joint work of the Florentine artists was the first opera in the world – Daphne, the music of which has not been preserved. Daphne was performed for the first time at the carnival in Florence in 1598, and its success encouraged Peri and Rinuccini to create Eurydice.

The work is still performed today in opera houses across Europe and the world.

" A love song should respect the canon of musical beauty, touching the souls of the listeners. It should make them dream and introduce them to the universe of love in a pleasant way."

-Andrea Bocelli

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