This the work was first given in Vienna during Holy Week, 1729, the first of many collaborations between Caldara and Metastasio. Mention of the great librettist provides a prompt that my original review failed to stress the outstanding qualities of the text. Divided into two halves, the first part of the oratorio relates the story of the crucifixion as witnessed through the eyes of Mary Magdalene, John, and Joseph of Arimathea, who respond to the eager questioning of the remorseful Peter. The second part consists of philosophical commentary on the meaning of the crucifixion. Particularly in Part I, Metastasio draws on vivid imagery to convey the full horror of the event. Here, for example, is John describing the nailing to the cross: "… and some hardened, loutish men, sweating as they worked, bathed his face with their foul perspiration."

Savaria Baroque Orchestra under the artistic direction of Pál Németh have been among the leading interpreters of Baroque music in Europe for 25 years, and bassist Péter Fried can also look back on an impressive international career. The instrumentalists once again offer an excellent, stylistically adept, technically flawless performance, which is also characterized by the successful balance between the individual instruments.

Pimpinone o Vespetta e Pimpinone-Intermezzo u ópera cómica en tres actos con música de Tomaso Albinoni y libreto en italiano de [Pietro Pariati]. Se estrenó en el Teatro San Cassiano Venecia 26 de noviembre 1708. Esta obrita pertenece a un género operístico propio del Barroco, Intermezzo , que se desarrollaba en los entreactos óperas serias. En este caso, se representó entre acto y acto de la ópera Astarto, dramma per musica en tres actos del mismo Tomaso Albinoni, con libreto de Apostolo Zeno y Pietro Pariati. Gozó de gran notoriedad en las tres décadas siguientes, representándose también fuera de Italia en lugares como Viena.