Agostino Steffani was an Italian Baroque composer and diplomat born in 1654 in the Republic of Venice who established his career from the late 17th century writing operas, sacred music and chamber cantatas. Stylistically he combined Italian vocal lyricism with influences from German and French court music, and during a career spent largely at various German courts he alternated between operatic, chamber and ecclesiastical compositions while also undertaking diplomatic duties that affected cultural exchange.
