You might not know his name, but you may have seen his work. Benvenuto Cellini was a goldsmith and sculptor in Italy during the 16th century. His bronze figure of Perseus holding the Head of Medusa (left), located in Florence, is one of Cellini's most celebrated works and a monument of the Italian Renaissance.

Enlarge image

Unfortunately, Benvenuto Cellini was also quarrelsome, vain, licentious, a brawler, a braggart, and a murderer. In other words, he was perfect material for an opera. French composer Hector Berlioz (1803-1869), wrote the opera Benvenuto Cellini based on Cellini's autobiography. Though the opera failed at the Paris Opera in 1838, Berlioz adapted some of the music into a short orchestral overture, The "Roman Carnival" Overture. It was an instant success at its premiere in 1844, and still remains one of Berlioz' most popular works.