Francesca Caccini was born on 18 September 1587 into a highly musical family. Her father, Giulio Caccini was a famed Italian Baroque composer, and her sister, Settimia Caccini, was a well-known singer during the 1600s.

A musical virtuoso, Francesca was a singer, lutenist, and talented composer. For years, she was the highest paid musician in the Medici court. She is also the author of what it thought to be the oldest surviving opera written by a woman.