Arias for the Emperor

Johann Joseph Fux (c 1660-1741), composer and Kapellmeister at the Viennese Imperial Court, is primarily known for his church and instrumental works. It has been almost completely forgotten that during his lifetime he was also a highly regarded composer for the stage; his operas and oratorios undeservedly relegated to the shadows. This present recording with the young Austrian soprano Maria Ladurner is therefore more than welcome, giving a somewhat deeper insight into the composer's stage works. It includes a total of nine arias for soprano, some with their accompanying recitatives, taken from operas and oratorios written between 1708 and 1728, a time when music at the Viennese Imperial Court was at it's absolute peak. The focus on soprano arias also intends to draw attention to the singers employed at the Viennese Imperial Court - Maria Landini-Conti, Regina Schoonians, Kunigunda Sutter, Faustina Bordoni and Ursula Theresia Holzhauser, some of the outstanding artists of their time.