Let’s hope the Australian premiere of the world’s oldest opera goes better than it did in 1600.

When Henri IV of France married Maria de’ Medici in October 1600, Florence spared no expense. The groom, however, was not in attendance, being far too preoccupied with his current mistress. It’s unlikely that anyone involved in the festivities had an inkling of the significance of one of the entertainments provided. As a new genre it lacked a name, being described as a “dialogue in music”. But the word ”opera” was soon applied to it, and we now recognise this particular entertainment as the first opera performance for which the music survives.

Librettist Ottavio Rinuccini and composer Jacopo Peri had already treated the Florentines to La Dafne three years earlier, but the music of this work is lost. It was the same duo who were asked to provide the major entertainment for Maria’s wedding, but a third person managed to insinuate himself into the production – rival composer Giulio Caccini who was also the teacher of some of the young performers. Caccini, apparently miffed at being passed over in favour of Peri, allowed his pupils to participate only on condition that he...