1709. =Egidio Duni= (Matera). Seems to have founded opera comique in France, writing many such works for the Parisian stage. 1710. =Thomas Arne= (London), 1710-78. One of the most famous of early English opera writers; besides many masques (including Milton’s _Comus_) he wrote the opera _Artaxerxes_, which enjoyed many years of popularity. Arne is best known to-day by the incidental music which he wrote to Shakespeare’s _Tempest_, the song, “Where the Bee sucks,” being world known. 1710. =G. V. Pergolesi= (Jesi), 1710-36. A composer of great promise, whose early death may be much lamented. Although best known by his church music, he had many merits as a writer of opera. His best work in this direction is a short operetta, _La Serva Padrona_. 1712. =J. J. Rousseau= (Paris), 1712-78, the famous litterateur, wrote operas, the most famous of which, _Le Devin du Village_, may claim to have been the first opera comique; its success was enormous, but the orchestration and some of the details are not Rousseau’s. 1714. =Nicolo Jommelli= (Aversa), 1714-74. One of the best composers of the Neapolitan school, who combined skilful design with melodious and expressive themes. Mozart thought much of his music and extolled his operas; his sacred music alone has come down to our day. 1714. =Cristopher Willibald Gluck= (Weidenwang), 1714-87. The first of the great reformers of opera. Besides a very large number of works written on old models, his newer-fashioned and enduring masterpieces include _Orfeo_ (1762), _Alceste_ (1767), _Iphigénie en Aulide_ (1774), _Amide_ (1777), _Iphigénie en Tauride_ (1778). 1725. =Gaetano Guadagni= (Lodi). A great male contralto who sang for Handel and created a _furore_ in London. 1726. =F. A. D. Philidor= (Dreux). Famous chess player and operatic composer; was a prolific writer. He was the first to introduce the unaccompanied quartet upon the stage. His happiest essay was upon the English subject _Tom Jones_. 1728. =J. A. Hiller= (Görlitz). Established the Singspiel, composing fourteen of these works, which met with pronounced success. 1728. =Nicolo Piccini= (Bari). A good composer, now mostly remembered as the opponent of Gluck; while the fact militated against the success of his operas upon their production, it has kept his memory green and has gained attention for his music, which, although on the prevalent model of its time, has much merit.