Background
He was born at Arezzo, and studied with various local musicians.
He was born at Arezzo, and studied with various local musicians.
He was "the most celebrated Italian musician of his generation". While he was in Volterra he turned more toward secular music, perhaps due to the patronage and influence of the powerful Medici family. Here he also came in contact with Salvator Rosa, who wrote libretti for a number of Cesti"s cantatas.
By 1650 Cesti"s calling as a Franciscan friar and his success as a singer and composer for operas was coming into conflict, and he was officially reprimanded.
After holding a post somewhere in Florence as maestro di cappella, he entered the papal chapel in 1660. In 1666 he became Vice-Kapellmeister at Vienna, and died at Venice in 1669.
In 1652 he became a member of the court at Innsbruck of Ferdinand Charles, Archduke of Austria.