Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi (15 May 1567 (baptized) �V 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, gambist, and singer.
Monteverdi's work, often regarded as revolutionary, marked the
transition from the Renaissance style of music to that of the Baroque period.
He developed two individual styles of composition �V the heritage of Renaissance
polyphony and the new basso continuo technique of the Baroque. Monteverdi wrote
one of the earliest operas, L'Orfeo, an innovative
work that is still regularly performed. He was recognized as an innovative
composer and enjoyed considerable fame in his lifetime.