These three festive cantatas were composed for celebrations at the Neapolitan court of King Ferdinand IV between 1816 and 1819: Giunone (poetry by Angelo Maria Ricci) for the king's birthday, Omaggio umiliato a Sua Maestà (poetry by Antonio Niccolini) for his recovery from serious illness, and Cantata per Francesco I, Imperatore di Austria (poetry by Giulio Genoino) for an imperial visit. Calling for all the forces of the royal opera theater, these occasions exploited fine solo singers, large orchestra and mixed chorus, and dancers. Although the cantatas share the stylistic splendor of Rossini's operas from this period (among them Il barbiere di Siviglia,La Cenerentola, and Armida), they are ideal for concert performance because they are shorter and require only one, two, or three soloists.

This volume makes conveniently available the chorus and ballet music shared by the two later cantatas, present in only one of the autographs. A block of missing music has been reconstructed and the entire number adapted by the editors according to Rossini's written instructions in the manuscripts.