Christoph Gluck (1714 - 1787)

Christoph Gluck (1714 - 1787) - photo 1

Christoph Gluck

Christoph Willibald Gluck was a German classical composer and reformer of the opera genre.

Christoph showed a talent for music early on, playing violin and cello, leaving home and studying music with various teachers in Prague, Vienna and Milan. In 1741, Gluck had his first significant success with his first opera, Artasers, at the Milan theater. In 1745 Gluck, by then already well known as an opera composer, was invited to England, but in 1750 he settled in Vienna, where he lived for the rest of his life. While in Paris in 1773-79, he won the favor of Louis XVI's wife Marie Antoinette.

Christoph Gluck played a historic role in the formation of a new operatic style, becoming the main reformer in the transition from baroque to classical opera.

During his career, Christoph Gluck composed about 40 operas. Of these, his first "reformist" opera was Orpheus and Eurydice, staged in Vienna in 1762. Next were "Alceste" (1767), "Parida et Helena" (1770), "Iphigenia in Aulida" (1774), a French version of "Orpheus" (1774), and "Iphigenia in Tauris" (1779). He also wrote five ballets, of which Don Giovanni (1761) was one of the first successful action ballets.

Gluck spent the last eight years of his life in Vienna, continuing to work tirelessly. During these years he met several times with Wolfgang Mozart, who by then had already become a bright star.

Date and place of birt:2 july 1714, Berching, Germany
Date and place of death:15 november 1787, Vienna, Austria
Period of activity: XVIII century
Specialization:Composer
Art style:Baroque, Classicism

Creators Baroque

Giuseppe Antonio Ghedini (1707 - 1791)
Giuseppe Antonio Ghedini
1707 - 1791
Jan Porcellis (1583 - 1632)
Jan Porcellis
1583 - 1632
Benjamin Gerritsz. Cuyp (1612 - 1652)
Benjamin Gerritsz. Cuyp
1612 - 1652
Carlo Magini (1720 - 1806)
Carlo Magini
1720 - 1806
Giovanni Francesco Romanelli (1610 - 1662)
Giovanni Francesco Romanelli
1610 - 1662
Georg Heinrich Joseph Schwabe (1847 - 1924)
Georg Heinrich Joseph Schwabe
1847 - 1924
Jacopo Amigoni (1682 - 1752)
Jacopo Amigoni
1682 - 1752
Isaak Soreau (1604 - 1645)
Isaak Soreau
1604 - 1645
Robert Schleich (1845 - 1934)
Robert Schleich
1845 - 1934
Michel Ange Houasse (1680 - 1730)
Michel Ange Houasse
1680 - 1730
Juan van der Hamen y León (1596 - 1631)
Juan van der Hamen y León
1596 - 1631
Leopold Mozart (1719 - 1787)
Leopold Mozart
1719 - 1787
Josef Reinhard (1749 - 1824)
Josef Reinhard
1749 - 1824
Orazio De Ferrari (1606 - 1650)
Orazio De Ferrari
1606 - 1650
Schelte Adamsz Bolswert (1586 - 1659)
Schelte Adamsz Bolswert
1586 - 1659
Jan Pieter van Baurscheit (1669 - 1728)
Jan Pieter van Baurscheit
1669 - 1728
× Create a Search Subscription