About the work
Serenata (a courtly homage opera) in one act by Johann Joseph Fux to a libretto by Donato Cupeda, adapted from an earlier text Cupeda had written for a 1701 performance. First performed on 15 July 1709 in the garden of the Favorita summer palace in Vienna to mark the name day of Empress Wilhelmine Amalie.
Plot
The work has no conventional plot: the allegorical figure of Night wishes to honour the empress even after sunset, an idea Sleep and Silence initially resist. Once they learn of the empress's virtues, both join the tribute, aided by a Muse, a Grace and the figure of Architecture.
Cultural significance
The score stands out for its unusually rich scoring, with multiple divided trumpet choirs, an obbligato viola d'amore and double-choir writing, underlining the courtly festive occasion while still allowing for quieter, more intimate passages. Long forgotten, the score was rediscovered and revived in 2020 as part of the styriarte opera festival.