About the work
Festa teatrale in three acts by Johann Joseph Fux to a libretto by Pietro Pariati, first performed on 28 August 1723 to mark the coronation of Emperor Charles VI as King of Bohemia, in a purpose-built open-air theatre on Prague's Hradčany hill. The ballet music and closing scene were contributed by Nicola Matteis the Younger, with stage design and theatre architecture by Giuseppe Galli da Bibiena.
Plot
Set near Rome in 508 BC, the plot follows the city's siege by the Etruscans and the steadfastness of Roman heroes: Cloelia throws herself into the Tiber to escape, Horatius single-handedly defends a bridge, and Muzio holds his hand in fire to prove his fearlessness. Entwined with these deeds are the romantic complications of the couples Valeria/Muzio and Clelia/Orazio, which are resolved in a reconciliation between Rome and the Etruscans.
Cultural significance
The title alludes to Charles VI's personal motto 'Constantia et Fortitudine'; with around 100 singers and 200 instrumentalists performing in a purpose-built amphitheatre measuring roughly 40 by 120 metres, the production ranks among the most lavish opera stagings of the Baroque era. Combining Italian, French and German stylistic elements, the work is still regarded as one of Fux's operatic masterpieces and was revived by the styriarte festival.