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Person
Archilei, Antonio
1543-1612
Antonio Archilei was born on March 12, 1543, in Albano Laziale, Italy.
He was an Italian singer, composer, and luth player of the second half of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th century. He was one of the composers of the musical interludes of "La Pellegrina,” a comedy by Girolamo Bargagli, created for the celebrations of the marriage of Grand Duke Ferdinand I de Medici and Christina of Lorraine in Florence. These interludes are of great historical interest because they are considered the most direct "ancestors" of opera. It was also the opportunity for Antonio Archilei to perform his most famous work, “Dalle più alte sfere,” still performed today.
In 1582, he married the famous singer Vittoria Concarini, and, they had a son, Ferdinando. He died on January 1, 1612, in Florence, Italy.