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Italian-born French composer, instrumentalist, and dancer who dominated French court music during the reign of Louis XIV and is considered the chief master of the French Baroque style.Born in Florence, Italy, Lully moved to France in 1646. He rose from a kitchen boy to become the Surintendant de la Musique de la Chambre du Roi (Superintendent of the King's Music). A favorite of Louis XIV, he secured an absolute monopoly over French opera production. He collaborated with Molière on comédie-ballets and pioneered the genre of tragédie en musique (later tragédie lyrique), establishing the French operatic tradition. He composed numerous operas, ballets, sacred music, and instrumental works, significantly shaping French musical taste.

• Lully was born Giovanni Battista Lulli in Florence. He adopted the French name Jean-Baptiste Lully after becoming a naturalized French citizen.
• He gained immense favor with King Louis XIV, becoming a powerful and influential, yet often ruthless, figure in the French musical establishment. He actively suppressed potential competitors.
• In 1672, Louis XIV granted Lully exclusive rights to produce sung drama in France, effectively creating a royal monopoly on opera.
• Lully died from gangrene in a bizarre accident. While conducting a Te Deum celebrating the king's recovery from illness (January 1687), he struck his foot violently with his long conducting staff (used to beat time on the floor). The wound became infected, turned gangrenous, and he refused amputation, leading to his death three months later.
• He was known for his fiery temper, sharp business acumen, and numerous court intrigues.