Musician (Fontanetto Po 1755 - London 1824); he studied the violin with G. Pugnani. He belonged to the royal orchestra for a few years; then he left Italy for a concert tour with his teacher. After unfortunate theatrical productions in Paris, he passed (1792) to London, acclaimed in the Salomon concerts, and became a conductor at the King's Theater. He moved to Germany (1798-1800) where he dedicated himself to composition. He then returned for a dozen years in England and (1818-21) in Paris, where he was director (1819) of the Opéra and the Théâtre des Italiens. He spent the last three years in England. One of the greatest violinists of all time, he was also a great teacher, and through his students (J. Rode, F. W. Pixis and others) he exercised a lasting influence on the French violin school. As a composer, Viotti is remembered above all for his violin and orchestra concerts which, while respecting the classical school modules, present in the melodic line an evident pre-Romantic inspiration. Vast its production, which includes, among other things, 29 concerts.