Based on the Biblical tale of the young Israelite woman who cuts off the head of the barbarian invader Holofernes, Antonio Vivaldi’s sole surviving oratorio, “Juditha Triumphans,” was written to celebrate the 1716 victory of the Republic of Venice over the Turks.
“Juditha triumphans devicta Holofernis barbarie” (Judith triumphant over the barbarians of Holofernes), RV 644, is an oratorio by Antonio Vivaldi, the only survivor of the four that he is known to have…