Much of the early biographical information on Luigi Rossi was destroyed in earthquakes. One of his prominent teachers was Giovanni de Macque whom he studied with in Naples. Rossi learned to play the organ and lute and more than likely studied some composition. While in service to the Medici court he was reported to offer an academy where students and colleagues included Vitali, Tenaglia, and Caproli. Luigi Rossi held a number of different positions during the course of his life including fourteen years at the Neapolitan court. While in Rome Rossi served the Borghese family and was organist at San Luigi dei Francesi. Later he also served Ferdinando II de' Medici and he was reported to have been the head of the Roman school of musicians. Rossi also served for Cardinal Barbarini and with the French Queen in Amiens. He composed over three hundred cantatas in two major styles, the "ariette corta" and "arie di piu parti." The former were short and lucid pieces in binary forms while the latter were long settings of difficult texts developed through a number of musical sections. Rossi also composed two operas -- "Il palazzo incantato," and "Orfeo" -- which both gave him a placed in the development of opera. Both of the operas were extended works -- seven and six hour performances -- which used arias, recitatives, and arioso. Rossi used the recitative in a lyrical fashion rather than in a simple declarative manner. He composed sonorous melodies and festive, grandiose productions that pleased audiences wherever they were performed. ~ Keith Johnson