Giovanni Battista Viotti short biography

A distinguished Italian violinist, composer and music administrator, Giovanni Battista Viotti was a student of Pugnani. Viotti followed the ideas and traditions of Corelli. In 1780, Viotti joined the service of Marie-Antoinette in Paris and was put in charge of the operatic management. In 1819, Viotti assumed the position of director of the Paris Opera. Viotti had a great influence on the future generations of violin virtuosos, like Rode, Kreutzer and Baillot.