Tommaso Traëtta was 39 years old when he was appointed choirmaster of the Venetian Ospedaletto dei Derelitti in 1766, which was one of those “homes” for orphan girls in which music played a central role. At that time, this Bari native had enjoyed an international reputation for his opere serie.

In his new post, which he was to hold for around ten years, he was able to increase his own renown and that of his patrons – particularly with the oratorio recorded here and its subject of King Solomon and his worship of the Ark of the Covenant in the temple. Traëtta based the sacred work on a Latin text on the legendary ruler of the Israelites, in which the Queen of Sheba, Zadok the priest and Adon, the Lord of the Ammonites, play the leading roles so elegantly that the work takes on the melodious grace of an Italian singspiel. The success was noticeable and, thanks to this recording, remains true to King Solomon.