Claudio Monteverdi was an Italian Renaissance composer and a significant developer of new genre — ‘operas’. Working extensively in the tradition of early Renaissance polyphony and concurrently employing the basso continuo technique, an important feature of the Baroque period, he also became a bridge between these two distinctive eras of music history. Born in the middle of the sixteenth century in the Lombardy region of Italy, he studied music with Marc’Antonio Ingegneri, the maestro at the local cathedral. He started writing both religious and secular music early in his life, publishing his first work at the age of 15. Around the age of 22, he started his career as a string player at the Court of Mantua, being appointed to the position of the maestro di capella at the age of 35. Later, he moved to Venice, where he was appointed to the same post at the St. Mark’s. Remaining there till his death, he wrote much religious as well as secular music, also introducing secular elements into church music. 'La favola d'Orfeo', one of his first operas, is being regularly performed till now.