The Camerata was a group of sixteenth century Italian poets, musicians and others. Its discussions gave rise to experiments leading to the growth of the form of musical drama which we know as opera.
The group aimed to restore music to the position they believed it to have held in ancient Greek theatre. This they saw as one of close and practical participation in the conveyance of drama to an audience.
In 1579 they experimented by giving a costumed performance of a madrigal setting at the wedding of Francesco de Medici. In 1582 they produced a setting of the Lamentations of Jeremiah ΓÇ£after the fashion of the Ancient GreeksΓÇ¥.
In the years that followed they developed their ideas through performances which were closer to what we know as oratorio. Then, in 1601, the composer Caccini's work, gathered in Le Nuove musiche, laid the basis for a new dramatic style in music. It was a reaction to the polyphonic style, attempting, through monody, to give prime importance to words.
Peri's Dafne, written in 1597, and arguably the first opera, farther develops this style. Its music is lost. However it probably consisted of extended recitatives with discreet musical accompaniment.
The ideas of the Camerata were eagerly taken up by the composer Monteverdi. His work unified their emphasis on effective drama, clarified by audible recitative, with the instrumental and vocal traditions of the day.
