Christoph Gluck (1714-1787)  was born in Germany, educated in Prague, and then settled in Vienna in 1736. Whilst categorized as a baroque composer, he was born in a year halfway between Bach's and Haydn's years of birth, and so there are signs of a more classical style emerging in his operas. He spent a couple of years in London, where he became a great friend of Handel.

Gluck is primarily known for his operas Orpheus and Euridice,  Alceste,  and Iphigenie en Tauride.