Vivaldi's Serenata a tre, RV 690, was commissioned by Anne-Marc Goislard du Toureil, a French nobleman, passionate music-lover, and amateur singer who resided in Venice.
Composition History
The libretto for Vivaldi's Serenata a tre, RV 690, was written by Antonio Maria Lucchini, an emerging talent in dramatic poetry who also supplied the libretto for Vivaldi's lost opera Tieteberga.
Composition History
The Serenata a tre, RV 690, is unlikely to have been an accompaniment for du Toureil's secret wedding due to its lack of a happy ending, which was mandatory for wedding celebrations.
Compositional Technique
In Alcindo's aria 'dell'alma superba' from Part II of RV 690, Vivaldi uses an obbligato part for unison violins and bassoon combined with a violone bass to convey a grotesque character.
Compositional Technique
Vivaldi's Serenata a tre, RV 690, opens directly with an aria, which is unusual for a serenata, as they typically began with a sinfonia followed by a recitative.
Compositional Technique
The aria 'ad infiammar quel seno' in Part I of RV 690 features a solo violin part, likely intended for Vivaldi himself, with cadenza-like episodes that extend into the instrument's highest register.
Compositional Technique
The libretto for the Serenata a tre, RV 690, is perfectly symmetrical, with two parts each containing eight closed numbers, and a balanced distribution of arias among the singers.
