“[… ] I assure you that a work such as this […] has not yet been heard” (Haydn to the publisher Artaria )

In November 1779 the opera house at Schloss Eszterháza burned to the ground and was replaced by a splendid new one, and for its opening Haydn composed the dramma pastorale giocoso “La fedeltà premiata ”.

However, the building was not completed in time for the autumn 1780 season, so that the premiere could not take place until 25 February 1781 – which did nothing to harm the extrao...