Antonio Caldara: Santo Stefano, Primo Re dell' Ungheria 
(Oratorio: Saint Stephen, the First King of Hungary)

This oratorio focuses on a moment of crucial importance in Hungarian history: the embrace of the Christian faith after paganism, Hungary’s accession to the community of Western Christian nations, and the attainment of papal benevolence. All these historical processes are reflected in the inner struggles and hesitations of Saint Stephen. The beautifully moralising and poetically refined libretto is set to music with great craftsmanship, invention, and a rich variety of melodies and musical characters by the Italian composer Antonio Caldara (1671–1736), who was already highly esteemed in his own time. Caldara worked mainly in Rome and Vienna. Caldara was in Vienna in 1712, when he was commissioned by Charles III, King of Hungary (later Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI), to compose a musical work. At that time, the king was seeking Pope Clement XI’s legitimation of his imperial title. The première of the oratorio took place in 1713 in Rome, at the palace of Cardinal Ruspoli, one of the most illustrious salons of the period. Such a positive portrayal of the Hungarians is rarely encountered outside the Hungarian cultural sphere. The greatest historical significance of the oratorio lies in the fact that a fundamentally important period of Hungarian history is presented as an exemplary model through the figure of the great king.
The work does not require a large ensemble: it is scored for four vocal soloists (King Saint Stephen, Queen Gisella, Anastasio, the High Priest, and Erasto, a subject) and a chamber string orchestra. In accordance with the performance practice of the period, the oratorio may be presented in costume, while the audience’s understanding is enhanced by the projection of the libretto and related images. A CD recording of the oratorio was released by Hungaroton Records Ltd. in 2011. A filmed version was also produced by Duna Television. Excerpt from the libretto (Saint Stephen entrusts the Hungarian nation to the patronage of Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary): Fair Virgin, Holy Mother of Jesus, whose heart is ever pure and whose spirit shines brightly, if you were to adopt this penitent nation, it would be forever grateful to you. Oh, hear its repentance, turn your gaze towards it, and protect our country.