Antonio Vivaldi

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 to no longer say public Masses because of 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, he moved to Vienna, hoping for royal support, but the Emperor died soon after his arrival, and Vivaldi 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 his 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.

Operas in the OperaPedia Catalogue

The following 14 operas by Antonio Vivaldi are catalogued in OperaPedia, listed in chronological order of premiere. Click any title for the full editorial entry, including synopsis, premiere details, language, and notable arias.

• 1701 Griselda, 1701 Teatro San Samuele Italian
• 1709 Atenaide, 1709 Teatro della Pergola Italian
• 1714 Orlando furioso, 1714 Italian
• 1716 Arsilda, regina di Ponto, 1716 Teatro Sant'Angelo Italian
• 1717 Argippo, 1717 Italian
• 1718 Armida al campo d'Egitto, 1718 Teatro San Moisè Italian
• 1720 La verità in cimento, 1720 Venice Italian
• 1721 La Silvia, 1721 Teatro Regio Ducale Italian
• 1723 Ercole su'l Termodonte, 1723 Italian
• 1724 Farnace, 1724 Teatro Sant'Angelo in Venice Italian
• 1724 Giustino, 1724 Teatro Capranica Italian
• 1726 Andromeda Liberata, 1726 Italian
• 1726 Dorilla in Tempe, 1726 Teatro San Angelo Italian
• 1735 Bajazet, 1735 Italian

Stylistic Position & Reception

Antonio Vivaldi's position within the operatic canon has been shaped by performance tradition as much as by scholarly judgment. The works that survive in the active repertory of the major houses tend to be those that combine memorable vocal writing with dramatically effective situations · qualities that audiences continue to respond to from one generation to the next. Other works in the catalogue, less frequently performed, often reward closer study by singers, conductors, and dramaturges seeking to broaden the standard repertoire.

Modern scholarship on Antonio Vivaldi has been substantially enriched by the publication of critical editions of the major scores, by the rediscovery of forgotten works and revisions, and by the steady documentation of performance history through recordings, theatre archives, and contemporary criticism. The biographical sketch above and the catalogue of works are compiled from public-domain reference sources, including the structured Wikidata layer and the corresponding English Wikipedia article.

Editorial Note

OperaPedia maintains its composer entries as living documents, revised whenever new editorial work justifies a change. If you encounter a factual error in the biographical material above or in the linked opera entries, please write to the editors using the contact details on our about page.