Marc Antonio Cesti (August 5, 1623 – October 14, 1669) was an Italian composer of the Baroque era.
He was born at Florence, and studied with Carissimi, and after holding a post somewhere in Florence as maestro di cappella entered the papal chapel in 1660. In 1666 he became Vice-Kapellmeister at Vienna, and died at Venice in 1669.
Cesti is known principally as a composer of operas, the most celebrated of which were La Don (Venice, 1663) and Il Pomo d'oro (Vienna, 1668). He was also a composer of chamber cantatas , and his operas are notable for the pure and delicate style of their airs, more suited to the chamber than to the stage.
