Antonio Lotti

Born in Venice in 1667, Antonio Lotti began studying with Lodovico Fuga and Giovanni Legrenzi at St Mark's Basilica, the principal church in Venice, which became the centre of his musical career, first as an alto singer. He later became assistant to the second organist, progressing over the years to first organist, and finally being elected maestro di cappella in 1736, a position he held untl his death in 1740.

The first of around 30 operas, Il trionfo dell'innocenza, was staged in 1693 and in 1717 Lotti travelled to Dresden, where a number of his operas were produced, returning to Venice in 1719.

His work, which is considered to be a bridge between Baroque and the emerging Classical style, includes masses, cantatas and madrigals, and is thought to have influenced both Johann Sebastian Bach and Georg Frederich Händel. Many of his sacred choral works are unaccompanied (a capella).