LULLI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA. - Musician, b. at Firenze on 29 Nov. 1632, d. at Parigi on 22 March 1687.
As a boy, he was taken to Parigi by the chevalier de Guise: his career was rapid and fortunate owing to the favour of Luigi XIV, who first placed him at the head of the Petits violons and in 1661 appointed him general superintendent of music and composer of the chambre du Roi, moreover granting him letters of nobility after his French naturalization (de Lully). Although Italian, L. was the initiator of French musical theatre. Very shrewd in business, he acquired from Perrin the privilege over all musical activity in France and gave prestige to the Royal Academy of Music founded by the latter. He composed numerous ballets and interludes in the French taste, and the theatrical works Cadmo ed Ermione (1673), Alceste (1674), Teseo (1675), Perseo (1682), Rolando (1685), Armida (1686), etc. He also wrote sacred music, especially motets, among which a Miserere for two choirs (c. 1664) was particularly admired.