Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714–1787) was a key figure in the transformation of Baroque into Classical opera, paving the way for Mozart, though his influence stretched much further into the 19th century, with both Berlioz and Wagner acknowledging their debt to him.
Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787) var en central figur i omdannelsen af barok til klassisk opera, der banede vejen for Mozart, men hans indflydelse strakte sig langt videre ind i det 19. århundrede til personligheder som både Berlioz og Wagner, der anerkender deres gæld til ham.