Antonio Cesti

Antonio Cesti was an Italian singer, organist, and composer of the baroque era. He was the most famous singer of his generation, and now he is known as a significant composer of operas and secular cantatas. He was born in 1623 in Arezzo, Italy. He served as a choirboy at a nearby church, but there is not much documentation regarding his early life and education. He started performing at other churches around Tuscany as a singer and organist in 1633. With his mind set on becoming a priest and church musician, he joined the Franciscan order in 1637 and began serving at the St. Francesco monastery in Arezzo. From 1644 to 1649 he served in various positions in Arezzo, the Volterra Cathedral, and the Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence. It was also around this time when Cesti began to receive more secular patronage, specifically from the powerful Medici family. In 1650 he sang in three very successful operas in Lucca, which brought an end to his career with the church. When the head of his monastic order learned of his opera performances, his status was rebuked because of his dishonorable and irregular lifestyle. Two years later he moved to Innsbruck, where he was appointed a member of the court of Archduke Ferdinand Charles, who was the son of Claudia de Medici. While he was in Innsbruck, he composed some of his most well-known operas, including Cleopatra, L'Argia, and Orontea, which was his most popular work and received countless revivals for over 30 years. By 1660 he was a member of the papal choir of Pope Alexander VII, and as a singer his fame was at its peak. He was also in high demand as a composer and continued receiving commissions from members of the Medici family and other wealthy patrons. In 1666 he travelled to Vienna, where he served Emperor Leopold I in a dual role as the director of theatrical music and honorary chaplain. There, he composed Le disgrazie d'Amore, La Semirami, and the opulent Il pomo d'oro. However, it was difficult for Cesti to keep up with his royal responsibilities and demanding performance schedule. In late 1667 he resigned, and then moved to Florence where he was appointed maestro di cappella. He sang in a production of L'Argia and passed away a short while later in 1669. ~ RJ Lambert, Rovi