Christoph Willibald Gluck

Christoph Willibald (von) Gluck (July 2, 1714 – November 15, 1787) was a German composer. He is seen as one of the most important opera composers of the Classical music era, and is particularly remembered for the o

Christoph Willibald (von) Gluck (July 2, 1714 – November 15, 1787) was a German composer. He is seen as one of the most important opera composers of the Classical music era, and is particularly remembered for the opera Orfeo ed Euridice, the best known part of which is probably the Dance of the Blessed Spirits, a slow, soft melody for flute and orchestra. Gluck was born in Erasbach, Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany to a forester in the service of a nobleman. He studied music and philosophy in Prague from the age of eighteen. He wrote his first opera, Artaserse in 1741, and began to compose very prolifically for the stage. His works at this time were quite conservative Italian opera seria. He began to travel widely across Europe and in 1754 he secured the post of Kapellmeister to Maria Theresa of Austria, and settled in Vienna.