Opera was developed as a continuously sung musical drama by a musical and literary community (the “Camerata”) at Florence during the 1590s.
In order to provide the musical means for a powerful and flexible solo vocal style, new forms and techniques had to be developed, in particular the creation of an elevated style of accompanied song, or monody.
Earlier in the century, musical developments in Italy had even slightly influenced the vocal writing in the chapel's music, but the old styles and genres had shown a sturdy resilience in England, particularly in chamber music with the continued development of Renaissance-style contrapuntal fantasias for consorts of viols, and of lute-accompanied solo songs.
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