Vivaldi: Stage Works

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Explore the complete catalog of Stage compositions by Vivaldi. This curated list includes composition years, historical Wikipedia context, and interactive audio to add specific tracks directly to your listening queue.

Title Year Actions
Argippo, RV.697

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widespread across Europe, giving origin to many imitators and admirers. He pioneered many developments in orchestration, violin technique and programmatic music. He consolidated the emerging concerto form, especially the solo concerto, into a widely accepted and followed idiom. Vivaldi composed many instrumental concertos, for the violin and a variety of other musical instruments, as well as sacred choral works and more than fifty operas. His best-known work is a series of violin concertos known as The Four Seasons. Many of his compositions were written for the all-female music ensemble of the Ospedale della Pietà, a home for abandoned children in his native Venice. Vivaldi began studying for the Catholic priesthood at the age of 15 and was ordained at 25, but was given dispensation no longer to say public Masses due to a health problem. Vivaldi also had some success with expensive stagings of his operas in Venice, Mantua and Vienna. After meeting the Emperor Charles VI, Vivaldi moved to Vienna, hoping for royal support. However, the Emperor died soon after Vivaldi's arrival, and Vivaldi himself died in poverty less than a year later. After almost two centuries of decline, Vivaldi's musical reputation underwent a revival in the early 20th century, with much scholarly research devoted to his work. Many of Vivaldi's compositions, once thought lost, have been rediscovered – some as recently as 2015. His music remains widely popular in the present day and is regularly played all over the world.

Armida al campo d'Egitto, RV.699

This is a complete list of operas by Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741). He claimed to have composed 94 operas, but fewer than 50 titles have been identified, of which the scores of only 20 or so survive, wholly or in part. Moreover, the practice of reviving works under a different title and of creating pasticci has confused musicologists. All of Vivaldi's operatic works are described as dramma per musica, roughly equivalent to opera seria. Key: music completely lost; music preserved (at least in part) 51 items are listed.

Arsilda, regina di Ponto, RV. 700

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widespread across Europe, giving origin to many imitators and admirers. He pioneered many developments in orchestration, violin technique and programmatic music. He consolidated the emerging concerto form, especially the solo concerto, into a widely accepted and followed idiom. Vivaldi composed many instrumental concertos, for the violin and a variety of other musical instruments, as well as sacred choral works and more than fifty operas. His best-known work is a series of violin concertos known as The Four Seasons. Many of his compositions were written for the all-female music ensemble of the Ospedale della Pietà, a home for abandoned children in his native Venice. Vivaldi began studying for the Catholic priesthood at the age of 15 and was ordained at 25, but was given dispensation no longer to say public Masses due to a health problem. Vivaldi also had some success with expensive stagings of his operas in Venice, Mantua and Vienna. After meeting the Emperor Charles VI, Vivaldi moved to Vienna, hoping for royal support. However, the Emperor died soon after Vivaldi's arrival, and Vivaldi himself died in poverty less than a year later. After almost two centuries of decline, Vivaldi's musical reputation underwent a revival in the early 20th century, with much scholarly research devoted to his work. Many of Vivaldi's compositions, once thought lost, have been rediscovered – some as recently as 2015. His music remains widely popular in the present day and is regularly played all over the world.

Catone in Utica, RV.705

The following is a list of compositions by the Italian Baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741).

Dorilla in Tempe, RV.709

This is a complete list of operas by Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741). He claimed to have composed 94 operas, but fewer than 50 titles have been identified, of which the scores of only 20 or so survive, wholly or in part. Moreover, the practice of reviving works under a different title and of creating pasticci has confused musicologists. All of Vivaldi's operatic works are described as dramma per musica, roughly equivalent to opera seria. Key: music completely lost; music preserved (at least in part) 51 items are listed.

Ercole su'l Termodonte, R710
Farnace, RV.711

Farnace is an opera by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi, set to a libretto by Antonio Maria Lucchini initially set by Leonardo Vinci during 1724. Vivaldi's setting received its first performance in 1727 at the Teatro Sant'Angelo in Venice. Popular at the time, and revived with great success at the Sporck theater in Prague in 1730, Vivaldi's Farnace (RV 711) slipped into oblivion until the last quarter of the 20th century when it emerged from obscurity.

Giustino, RV.717

Il Giustino RV 717 is a 1724 opera by Vivaldi set to a libretto by Nicolò Beregan, originally used for the 1683 opera of the same name by Giovanni Legrenzi, and also later set by Albinoni and Handel. The opera was composed for the 1724 carnival season in Rome and premiered at the Teatro Capranica.

Griselda, RV.718

Anna Girò (also Girrò or Giraud) (c. 1710—c. 1748 or later), also known as l'Annina del Prete Rosso, la Nina del Prete Rosso, or l'Annina della Pietà, was the stage name of Anna Maria(?) Maddalena Tessieri (or Tesieri, Teseire or Testeiré), an Italian mezzo-soprano/contralto of the 18th century. She is best remembered for her numerous collaborations with composer Antonio Vivaldi who wrote operatic roles for her. She is the singer who performed the greatest number of Vivaldi's operas, the one who kept them in her repertoire the longest time and who made them known across the largest geographical area.

Il Tamerlano

Tamerlano (Tamerlane, HWV 18) is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. The Italian libretto was by Nicola Francesco Haym, adapted from Agostino Piovene's Tamerlano together with another libretto entitled Bajazet after Nicolas Pradon's Tamerlan, ou La Mort de Bajazet. The opera was staged by the Royal Academy of Music in the King's Theatre at the Haymarket, London.

Ipermestra, RV.722

The following is a list of compositions by the Italian Baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741).

L' Adelaide, RV.695

Adelaide of Italy was an important medieval ruler and holy figure, having been called "the most important woman of her century", "the most powerful of Ottonian women" and one of the most powerful queens of the entire Middle Age. As princess of Burgundy (as daughter of Rudolph II of Burgundy), queen of Italy (consort of Lothair II of Italy) and later Holy Roman empress (consort of Otto the Great), she had deep connections to many European regions. Having supported the Church greatly during her lifetime, she was canonized soon after her death. Historically the subject of numerous religious, artistic and scholarly works, she is now explored by modern historiography primarily as a political figure.

L' Atenaide, RV.702

The following is a list of compositions by the Italian Baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741).

L' Incoronazione di Dario, RV.719
L'Olimpiade, RV.725

L'Olimpiade (The Olympiad, RV 725) is a dramma per musica in three acts that was composed by Antonio Vivaldi. The opera uses an Italian libretto by Pietro Metastasio that was originally written for Antonio Caldara's 1733 opera of the same name. Vivaldi's version premiered in Venice at the Teatro Sant'Angelo on 17 February 1734. The same libretto was to be later set to music by over 50 other composers, including Giovanni Battista Pergolesi in 1735.

La Candace, o siano Li veri amici, RV.704

The following is a list of compositions by the Italian Baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741).

La fida ninfa, RV.714

La fida ninfa (The Faithful Nymph, RV 714) is an opera by Antonio Vivaldi to a libretto by Scipione Maffei. The opera was first performed for the opening of the Teatro Filarmonico in Verona on 6 January 1732. Among the arias is "Alma oppressa de sorte crudele" (Soul oppressed by cruel fate).

La Silvia, RV.734

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widespread across Europe, giving origin to many imitators and admirers. He pioneered many developments in orchestration, violin technique and programmatic music. He consolidated the emerging concerto form, especially the solo concerto, into a widely accepted and followed idiom. Vivaldi composed many instrumental concertos, for the violin and a variety of other musical instruments, as well as sacred choral works and more than fifty operas. His best-known work is a series of violin concertos known as The Four Seasons. Many of his compositions were written for the all-female music ensemble of the Ospedale della Pietà, a home for abandoned children in his native Venice. Vivaldi began studying for the Catholic priesthood at the age of 15 and was ordained at 25, but was given dispensation no longer to say public Masses due to a health problem. Vivaldi also had some success with expensive stagings of his operas in Venice, Mantua and Vienna. After meeting the Emperor Charles VI, Vivaldi moved to Vienna, hoping for royal support. However, the Emperor died soon after Vivaldi's arrival, and Vivaldi himself died in poverty less than a year later. After almost two centuries of decline, Vivaldi's musical reputation underwent a revival in the early 20th century, with much scholarly research devoted to his work. Many of Vivaldi's compositions, once thought lost, have been rediscovered – some as recently as 2015. His music remains widely popular in the present day and is regularly played all over the world.

La verità in cimento, RV.739

La verità in cimento (Italian pronunciation: [la veriˈta in tʃiˈmento]; Truth in Contention) is an opera by Antonio Vivaldi to a libretto by Giovanni Palazzi. The opera, Vivaldi's 13th, was premiered during the Carnival at Venice in 1720. The work is dedicated to Count Sava Vladislavich, a Serbian merchant and diplomat in the employ of Peter the Great, who resided in Venice from 1716 to 1722. The work is listed as RV 739 in the Vivaldi catalogue.

La virtù trionfante, dell'amore, e dell'odio, overo Il tigrane, RV.740,

La Virtù trionfante dell'amore e dell'odio overo Il Tigrane (RV 740) is a 1724 opera for the carnival season in Rome. It was a joint composition by Benedetto Micheli (Act I), Vivaldi (Act II) and Nicola Romaldi (Act III). The libretto was originally thought to based on that by Francesco Silvani already used in Venice in 1691, but has been identified as a libretto by Pietro Andrea Bernardoni used in Vienna in 1710.

Montezuma, RV.723

Motezuma, RV 723, is an opera in three acts by Antonio Vivaldi with an Italian libretto by Alvise Giusti. The libretto is very loosely based on the life of the Aztec ruler Montezuma who died in 1520. The first performance was given in the Teatro Sant'Angelo in Venice on 14 November 1733. (In earlier reference books the opera is referred to as Montezuma, but since the reappearance of the original manuscript this has been corrected to Motezuma.) The music was thought to have been lost, but was discovered in 2002 in the archive of the music library of the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin. Its first fully staged performance in modern times took place in Düsseldorf, Germany, on 21 September 2005.

Orlando

Orlando (RV 728), usually known in modern times as Orlando furioso (Italian pronunciation: [orˈlando fuˈrjoːzo, -so]), is an opera in three acts by Antonio Vivaldi to an Italian libretto by Grazio Braccioli, based on Ludovico Ariosto's epic poem Orlando Furioso (The Frenzy of Orlando). The first performance of the opera was at the Teatro San Angelo, Venice, in November 1727. It is to be distinguished from an earlier Vivaldi opera of 1714, Orlando furioso, set to much the same libretto, once thought to be a revival of a 1713 opera by Giovanni Alberto Ristori but now considered by Vivaldian musicologists to be a fully-fledged opera by Vivaldi himself. The opera – more formally, the dramma per musica – alternates arias with recitative, and is set on an island at an unspecified time. The story line combines several plot lines from Ariosto: the exploits of the hero Orlando are detailed, as well as the tale of the sorceress Alcina.

Orlando finto pazzo, RV.727

Orlando finto pazzo (Italian pronunciation: [orˈlando ˈfinto ˈpattso]; Orlando, the Fake Madman) is an opera (dramma per musica) in three acts composed by Antonio Vivaldi to a libretto by Grazio Braccioli. The plot is based on an episode in Matteo Boiardo's unfinished epic poem Orlando Innamorato ([orˈlando innamoˈraːto]). The second of Vivaldi's known operas, Orlando finto pazzo premiered in November 1714 (dedication 10 November) at the Teatro Sant'Angelo in Venice. Vivaldi acted as impresario (in partnership with his father Giovanni Battista) as well as composer. Apparently the opera did not meet much approval from the audience and was billed only on few dates, just to be replaced, on 1 December, by a reworking of Giovanni Alberto Ristori's Orlando furioso ([orˈlando fuˈrjoːzo; -oːso]), an opera that the Vivaldi "impresa" had very successfully staged in 1713. Orlando finto pazzo is listed as RV 727 in the Vivaldi catalogue.

Orlando furioso, RV. Anh.84

Orlando furioso RV 819 (Italian pronunciation: [orˈlando fuˈrjoːzo, -so], Teatro San Angelo, Venice 1714) is a three-act opera surviving in manuscript in Antonio Vivaldi's personal library, only partly related to his better known Orlando furioso (RV 728) of 1727. It is a recomposition of an Orlando furioso written by Giovanni Alberto Ristori which had been very successfully staged by Vivaldi and his father's impresa in 1713, and whose music survives in a few fragments retained in the score of RV 819. Therefore, Vivaldi's first cataloguer Peter Ryom did not assign the opera a RV number, but catalogued it as RV Anh. 84. The libretto was by Grazio Braccioli.

Ottone in villa, RV.729

Ottone in villa (Otho at his villa, RV 729) is an opera in three acts by Antonio Vivaldi to an Italian libretto by Domenico Lalli (the pseudonym of Sebastiano Biancardi). It was Vivaldi's first opera and premiered on 17 May 1713 at the Teatro delle Garzerie in Vicenza. Lalli's pastoral drama is set in ancient Rome and was a condensed adaptation of Francesco Maria Piccioli's satirical libretto for Carlo Pallavicino's opera Messalina (1679). However, Lalli changed several of the characters in Piccioli's libretto. Messalina became an invented character, Cleonilla. The Roman Emperor Claudius became another emperor, Otho (Ottone), who had already appeared as a protagonist in Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea (1642) and in Handel's Agrippina (1709).

Rosmira fedele, RV.731

This is a complete list of operas by Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741). He claimed to have composed 94 operas, but fewer than 50 titles have been identified, of which the scores of only 20 or so survive, wholly or in part. Moreover, the practice of reviving works under a different title and of creating pasticci has confused musicologists. All of Vivaldi's operatic works are described as dramma per musica, roughly equivalent to opera seria. Key: music completely lost; music preserved (at least in part) 51 items are listed.

Scanderbeg, RV.732

Scanderbeg (Italian pronunciation: [ˈskanderbeɡ]; RV 732) is an opera (dramma per musica) in three acts composed by Antonio Vivaldi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Salvi. It was first performed at the Teatro della Pergola in Florence on 22 June 1718 to mark the re-opening of the theatre to public performances. While the libretto has been preserved, only fragments of the original score remain.

Semiramide, RV.733

Semiramide (RV 733) is a dramma per musica in three acts by Antonio Vivaldi composed to a libretto by Francesco Silvani. It was his ultimate work at the archducal theatre in Mantua, where Vivaldi was maestro di cappella from 1718 until 1720. The production started the young castrato Mariano Nicolini in the role of Oronte as well as the famous "prima donna" Anna Girò in the role of Semiramide, with Maria Maddalena Pieri, famous for her breeches roles, as Nino. It was first performed on 26 December 1731 for the 1732 carnival season. Only the libretto and individual arias have survived. The story of Semiramis was the subject of plays by Crébillon, Voltaire and Calderon de la Barca as well as of other operas by Porpora, Gluck, Rossini and dozens of other composers.

Siroe, re di Persia, RV.735

This is a complete list of operas by Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741). He claimed to have composed 94 operas, but fewer than 50 titles have been identified, of which the scores of only 20 or so survive, wholly or in part. Moreover, the practice of reviving works under a different title and of creating pasticci has confused musicologists. All of Vivaldi's operatic works are described as dramma per musica, roughly equivalent to opera seria. Key: music completely lost; music preserved (at least in part) 51 items are listed.

Teuzzone, RV.736

The following is a list of compositions by the Italian Baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741).

Tieteberga, RV.737

Tieteberga (RV 737) is a partially lost dramma per musica by Antonio Vivaldi. The Italian libretto was by Antonio Maria Lucchini. The opera was first performed at the Teatro San Moisè in Venice on 16 October 1717. The opera included nine arias by other composers.

Tito Manlio, RV.738

Tito Manlio (Italian pronunciation: [ˈtiːto ˈmanljo]; RV 738) is an opera (dramma per musica) in three acts by Antonio Vivaldi, to a libretto by Matteo Noris. It was written in celebration of the marriage of Philip of Hesse-Darmstadt (1671–1736), the governor of Mantua, which he had announced at Christmas. Vivaldi quickly composed the opera within five days. Whereas the wedding eventually did not take place at all, the opera was successfully premiered at the Teatro Arciducale ‘detto il Comico’ in Mantua during the carnival season of 1719.