George Frideric Handel
Handel was becoming a good opera composer, but he wanted to learn more, so he went to Italy in 1707. He spent four years there. His opera Rodrigo was produced in Florence in 1707, and his Agrippina at Venice in 1709. Agrippina was very popular and had 26 performances. It made Handel famous. He also had three oratorios produced in Rome. He wrote sacred music (church music) and other pieces in an operatic style, e.g. Dixit Dominus (1707).