Camerata

Florentine intellectual and artistic group organized by Giovanni de' Bardi (c.1573-87), including aristocratic poets, philosophers, and music lovers. Besides functioning as a musical salon, its aim was to reinstate a "pure" singing manner with minimal accompaniment as it was believed to have been practiced in ancient Greek drama. Renouncing the high Renaissance practice of writing rich and florid POLYPHONY, the Camerata cultivated lyric melody and simple accompaniments, the basis for the imminent birth of OPERA.