Antonio Vivaldi Juditha triumphans devicta Holofernis barbarie (Judith triumphant over the barbarians of Holofernes), RV 644, is an oratorio by Antonio Vivaldi, the only survivor of the four that he is known to have composed. Although the rest of the oratorio survives completely intact, the overture has been lost. The Latin libretto was written by Iacopo Cassetti based upon the Book of Judith. The exact date of composition and performance of Juditha triumphans are not known, but the allegorical treatment of the Venetian defense of Corfu dominated public discussion in Venice throughout 1716. This work was an allegorical description of the victory of the Venetians (the Christians) over the Turks in August 1716. The work was commissioned to celebrate the victory of the Republic of Venice over the Turks during the siege of Corfu: in July 1716, the Turks had landed on Corfu and set siege to the island. The population resisted the occupation and, in August, Venice signed an alliance with the Holy Roman Emperor. On 18 August, under the leadership of count Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg, the decisive battle was won and the Turks abandoned the island. Although widely reported to have been performed at the Ospedale della Pietà in November 1716, the victorious General Schulenburg could not have been in the audience of any performance prior to January 3, 1717. Juditha Triumphans RV 644 01 - Chorus militum pugnantium in Acie cum timpano bellico: Arma, caedes 02 - Recitativo Holofernes: Felix en fausta dies 03 - Aria Holofernes: Nil arma, nil bella 04 - Recitativo Vagaus et Holofernes: Mi Dux, Domine mi 05 - Aria Vagaus: Matrona inimica 06 - Recitativo Holofernes et Vagaus: Huc accedat Matrona 07 - Aria Juditha: Quo cum Patriae me ducit amore 08 - Recitativo Abra: Ne timeas non 09 - Aria Abra: Vultus tui vago splendori 10 - Recitativo Abra et Juditha: Vide humilis prostrata 11 - Vagaus et adstantium militum chorus: O quam vaga 12 - Recitativo Vagaus: Quem vides prope 13 - Aria Vagaus: Quamvis ferro 14 - Recitativo Holofernes et Jutitha: Quid cerno! 15 - Aria Juditha: Quanto magis generosa 16 - Recitativo Holofernes et Juditha: Magna, o foemina petis 17 - Aria Holofernes: Sede o cara 18 - Recitativo Juditha et Holofernes: Tu Judux es 19 - Aria Juditha: Agitata infido flatu 20 - Recitativo Holofernes: In tentorio supernae 21 - Aria Vagaus: O servi volate 22 - Recitativo Vagaus et Abra: Tu quoque hebraica ancilla 23 - Aria Juditha: Veni, me sequere 24 - Recitativo Abra: Venio Juditha 25 - Aria Abra: Fulgeat sol frontis decorae 26 - Recitativo di Abra: In urbe interim pia 27 - Chorus virginum psalentium in Bethulia: Mundi Rector 28 - Recitativo Ozias: Summi Regis in mente 29 - Aria Ozias: O Sydera, o stellae 30 - Recitativo Ozias et Holofernes: Jam saevientis in hostem 31 - Aria Holofernes: Nox obscura 32 - Recitativo Holofernes et Juditha: Belligerae meae sorti 33 - Aria Juditha: Transit aetas 34 - Recitativo Holofernes et Juditha: Haec in crastinum serva 35 - Aria Holofernes: Noli o cara te adorantis 36 - Recitativo Juditha et Holofernes: Tibi dona salutis 37 - Chorus: Plena noctare non mero 38 - Recitativo Holofernes: Tormenta mentis tuae 39 - Aria Juditha: Vivat in pace 40 - Recitativo Juditha: Sic in Pace inter hostes 41 - Aria Vagaus: Umbrae carae 42 - Recitativo Vagaus: Quae fortunata es tu 43 - Aria Abra: Non ita reducem progeniem noto 44 - Recitativo Abra: Jam pergo, postes claudo 45 - Recitativo accompagnato Juditha: Summe Astroum Creator 46 - Aria Juditha: In somno profundo 47 - Recitativo accompagnato Juditha: Impii, indigni tiranni 48 - Recitativo Juditha et Abra: Abra, accipe munus 49 - Aria di Abra: Si fulgida per te 50 - Recitativo di Vagaus: Jam non procul ab axe 51 - Aria Vagaus: Armatae face 52 - Recitativo Ozias: Quam insolita luce 53 - Aria Ozias: Gaude felix Bethulia 54 - Recitativo accompagnato Ozias: Ita decreto aeterno 55 - Chorus exultantium Virginum pro Judithae triumpho: Salve invicta Juditha formosa For more: http://www.melhoresmusicasclassicas.blogspot.com #MusicHistory #ClassicalMusic #Vivaldi