Maria Antonia of Saxony (1724-1780) was an important patron of the arts and an accomplished musician and composer in her own right. She composed a number of musical works, including a pair of highly regarded operas, Il trionfo della fedeltà in 1754 and Talestri, regina delle amazoni in 1760. Aside from these artistic pursuits, she played an active role in politics, serving as regent of Saxony from 1763 to 1768. Maria Antonia’s accomplished life shows the important role that elite women played during the long eighteenth century in fostering the era’s cultural flourishing.