Francesca Caccini at the Medici Court

A “priceless” study of the life and career of the Renaissance-era Italian who was the first woman to have composed an opera ( Gender & History ). “Extraordinary in its breadth, its detail, its insight, and its worth to all participants in early music…. Its contribution is not limited to the musical world, however, as Cusick’s remarkable command and analysis of her material…has immense value for scholars engaged in cultural studies, performance studies, history, politics, or the study of diff