who wrote the first opera?

The first opera is widely credited to Jacopo Peri, an Italian composer and singer. He wrote "Dafne" around 1597-1598, which is considered the first opera ever composed, though much of its music has been lost. His opera "Euridice," composed in 1600, is the earliest opera with music that still exists. Peri collaborated with poet Ottavio Rinuccini on the librettos. This innovation marked the beginning of opera as a musical genre, aiming to revive the dramatic and musical traditions of ancient Greek theater.