Caccini was born into a family of professional musicians in Florence, Italy.  Her father, Giulio Caccini, worked to secure and lobby for stability and wealth by connecting the family to aristocrats.  The most important of these was the Medici family who were influential in all aspects of Florentine civilian life, from banking and politics to the arts.

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At the age of 17, the Medici's granted permission, at the request of Henry IV and his wife Marie de'Medici, for the Caccini family to take a 9-month journey to Paris (4 months of travel each way + 5 months of employment in Paris).  It was during that stint that Francesca earned the reputation as one of the finest singers in Europe, stabilizing the musical status of her family.

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Two years later, Francesca found an opportunity to compose a musical/ballet for the Medici's annual Carnival which further cemented the confidence of the Medici family, resulting in the employment of Francesca as one of the musicians on staff of the monarchy of Tuscany, the government that oversaw the region of Italy that included Florence.

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Francesca Caccini was the first woman to compose a full-scale opera, La Liberazioine. Her life and career were under the control of the Medici's but she maneuvered for herself a good degree of autonomy, agency and as much independence as possible.  Her superb work ethic has been documented by many in her professional circle.  Caccini was widowed twice by husbands who respected her position and career, mothering one daughter and one son from each husband.

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Works chosen for our arrangement, "Songs by Francesca Caccini for Orchestra" include a Ciaccona, a prayer for mercy, a song about unrequited love, and a sassy & mischievous song, dismissing romance.  (Translation of text HERE.)