Jean-Baptiste Stuck

Jean-Baptiste Stuck (b. May 6, 1680, Livorno - d. Dec, 8, 1755, Paris) was an Italian-French composer and cellist of the Baroque.

Little is known of Stuck's early years. He came from a merchant family, and was the son of Giovanni-Giacomo Stuck and Barbera Hellerbeck. From 1702 he was in the service of Countess Lemos in Naples. Stuck wrote arias for the performance of the opera "L'innocente inganno" of Tomaso Albinoni, which was performed under the new title "Rodrigo in Algieri" on Dec. 10, 1702 in Naples at the Theatre San Bartolimeo.

Shortly thereafter Stuck moved to Paris. In 1705, he published the collection "Für das Jahr 1701" through the Ballard publishing house. In Paris, he was a member of the Chapel Royal and a cellist in the service of the Duke of Orleans. In 1722, he led the cello in the opera orchestra, displacing the bass viol. In 1733 he received French citizenship.

Stuck published four books of cantatas, in 1706, 1708, 1711, and 1714. In 1729, the Concert Spirituel performed his cantata "Union de la musique francaise et italienne". He composed numerous operas ("Méléagre" (1709), "Manto la fée" (1711), "Il Gran Cid" (1715), "Polydore" (1720)) and about 15 opera-ballets for Versailles.