Bach’s first opera Artasere debuted in 1760 in Turin, while his second and most famous opera Catone in Utica was first performed in 1761 in Naples. He soon began writing arias and overtures for other composers’ works, and quickly acquired a reputation for his operatic work rather than his church music. While in Italy, alongside sacred music, he also turned his hand to the opera, which became one of his most important genres. In 1760 he was made deputy organist at Milan Cathedral and in 1761 appointed kapellmeister at the Church of Santa Maria di Caravaggio.
In addition, he converted to Catholicism, presumably to raise his chances of a permanent position, although this severely strained his relationship with Carl Philipp Emanuel. His Italian phase was dominated by the composition of Latin church music. Staying in Milan until 1762, he also travelled in this period to further his education, including to visit Padre Martini in Bologna. In 1755, Johann Christian travelled to Italy, where he found an influential patron in Count Agostino Litta, who introduced him to for example his teacher Padre Martini. But since his father died when Johann Christian was only fourteen, his instruction in composition and keyboard instruments was continued by his elder half-brother Carl Philipp Emanuel in Berlin. He was taught to play keyboard instruments and music theory by his father from an early age. Johann Christian Bach, the youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach, was born in 1735 in Leipzig.
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