Barbara Strozzi was born Barbara Valle in Venice, Italy and was baptized August 6, 1619. Barbara's birth certificate does not provide information about her father. However, it is believed that her father was poet and librettist, Giulio Strozzi.
By the age of 12 Barbara had developed a captivating singing voice and was able to accompany herself on the lute or theorbo. This devotion to her musical studies encouraged her father to arrange lessons in composition with Francesco Cavalli, who was one of the leading composers at the time. Read more...