Barbara Strozzi was born in 1619 in Milan, Italy. She was the adopted daughter of Giulio Strozzi (1583-1660), a Venice-based author and librettist. In 1637, he founded the “Accademia degli Unisoni”, for whose members Barbara Strozzi sang and performed her own works. She set lyrics by her father and other members of the Venetian academy to music. In addition to her father, she was also instructed by Francesco Cavalli and Marc' Antonio Cesti.
Barbara Strozzi composed madrigals, cantatas, arias, duets and songs both secular and spiritual in nature.