About the work
Serenata (a dramatic poem) in one act by Johann Joseph Fux to a libretto by Pietro Antonio Bernardoni, first performed on 19 March 1708 at the Vienna Hofburg for the name day of Emperor Joseph I, commissioned by Empress Wilhelmine Amalie.
Plot
Ascanius, son of Aeneas, conquers Alba Longa and defeats Prince Evander, but falls in love with Evander's sister Emilia. Rather than exploiting his victory, he shows clemency, restores Evander's freedom and kingdom, and eventually wins Emilia's heart; Evander's mother Carmenta prophesies that their union will one day produce Augustus and, in direct line, Emperor Joseph I.
Cultural significance
The politically charged plot reflects Joseph I's Italian ambitions during the War of the Spanish Succession, while Fux combines French and Neapolitan stylistic elements with unusually prominent solo obbligato instruments. Because the performance fell during Lent, it remained a private court event rather than a public theatrical premiere; it is considered Fux's earliest surviving opera.