1805–1807 Giacomo Meyerbeer studied theory and composition under Carl Friedrich Zelter, who was then an influential Berlin composer, conductor, and director of the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin. During this period, Zelter, known for his strong advocacy of Johann Sebastian Bach's music and for his close friendship with Goethe, contributed to Meyerbeer's early grounding in German musical traditions.
Meyerbeer's studies with Zelter occurred alongside those of several notable pupils, including Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn, Otto Nicolai, and Heinrich Dorn, situating the young composer within a significant pedagogical lineage. Zelter’s emphasis on disciplined craft, choral writing, and contrapuntal technique helped shape Meyerbeer’s formative education before he later continued his development under other teachers such as Antonio Salieri and Abbé Vogler.
