Mozart composed the opera Il re pastore in 1775. An
opera seria commissioned for a visit of Archduke Maximilian Francis of Austria,
the youngest son of Empress Maria Theresa, to Salzburg, it was premiered on
April 23 at the Palace of the Archbishop Count Heironymus von Colloredo. The
libretto of the opera, by Metastasio, was written in 1751 and had already been
set by the Italian composer Felice Giardini as a three-act opera. Mozart's
two-act version has only a few major changes from Metastasio's original
libretto.
Aminta, a shepherd and unknowingly the rightful heir to
Sidon, professes his love for Elisa and that the ongoing war between the tyrant
Stratone and King Alessandro of Macedonia will not affect their love. Once
Stratone is disposed, King Alessandro begins searching for the rightful heir to
the throne. While Elisa receives permission from her father to marry Aminta,
Aminta learns that he is the rightful heir from Agenore, an aristocrat.
Alessandro tells Aminta that when he becomes king, his royal duties come before
love and, despite his love for Elisa, Alessandro advises him to he marry
Stratone's daughter, Tamiri, in order to ascend the throne. Everyone but
Alessandro is distraught by the planned marriage. Tamiri confronts Alessandro
stating she loves Agenore and she and Elisa both place themselves at his mercy.
Realizing that he was about to separate two pairs of lovers, Alessandro tells
Aminta to marry Elisa and Agenore to marry Tamiri. At the conclusion, Aminta is
crowned king.
"L'amerò sarò costante," from Act II, is one of the
opera's notable arias and is sung by Aminta when Elisa pleads with Alessandro
to let her marry Aminta. Cast as a duet between Aminta (a castrato part) and a
solo violin, the aria opens with a short introduction for the orchestra and
solo violin. The violin never intrudes upon the vocal line and contents itself
with filling in the spaces between the vocalist's phrases. In triple time and
an Andantino tempo, the aria is a beautiful affirmation of devotion to a
loved one.Joseph DuBose ______________________________________________________________
Classical Music | Soprano
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Aria L'amero sarò constante from Il re pastore, K 208 Play
Recorded on 08/16/2005, uploaded on 01/15/2009
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
Mozart composed the opera Il re pastore in 1775. An opera seria commissioned for a visit of Archduke Maximilian Francis of Austria, the youngest son of Empress Maria Theresa, to Salzburg, it was premiered on April 23 at the Palace of the Archbishop Count Heironymus von Colloredo. The libretto of the opera, by Metastasio, was written in 1751 and had already been set by the Italian composer Felice Giardini as a three-act opera. Mozart's two-act version has only a few major changes from Metastasio's original libretto.
Aminta, a shepherd and unknowingly the rightful heir to Sidon, professes his love for Elisa and that the ongoing war between the tyrant Stratone and King Alessandro of Macedonia will not affect their love. Once Stratone is disposed, King Alessandro begins searching for the rightful heir to the throne. While Elisa receives permission from her father to marry Aminta, Aminta learns that he is the rightful heir from Agenore, an aristocrat. Alessandro tells Aminta that when he becomes king, his royal duties come before love and, despite his love for Elisa, Alessandro advises him to he marry Stratone's daughter, Tamiri, in order to ascend the throne. Everyone but Alessandro is distraught by the planned marriage. Tamiri confronts Alessandro stating she loves Agenore and she and Elisa both place themselves at his mercy. Realizing that he was about to separate two pairs of lovers, Alessandro tells Aminta to marry Elisa and Agenore to marry Tamiri. At the conclusion, Aminta is crowned king.
"L'amerò sarò costante," from Act II, is one of the opera's notable arias and is sung by Aminta when Elisa pleads with Alessandro to let her marry Aminta. Cast as a duet between Aminta (a castrato part) and a solo violin, the aria opens with a short introduction for the orchestra and solo violin. The violin never intrudes upon the vocal line and contents itself with filling in the spaces between the vocalist's phrases. In triple time and an Andantino tempo, the aria is a beautiful affirmation of devotion to a loved one. Joseph DuBose______________________________________________________________
Text by Metastasio
Aminta: I will love her, I will be constant.
A faithful husband, a faithful lover.
Only for her I will sigh.
In so dear and sweet a creature
I will find my joy, my delight, and my peace.
More music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Soave sia il vento, from Così fan tutte
Rondo in D Major, K. 485
Hostias from Requiem K.626
Sonata in D Major
Concerto No.21 Do major 2nd moviment
12 Variations in C Major on “Ah, vous dirai-je Maman” K. 265
Benedictus from Requiem K. 626
Piano Concerto 12 KV 414 (1ºmov)
Piano Sonata No. 8 in a minor, K 310
Dies Irae from Requiem K. 626
Performances by same musician(s)
Solveigs Sang, Op. 23, No. 19
Aria Angenehmer Zephyrus from Zerreißet, zersprenget, zertrümmert die Gruft BWV 205
Jeg elsker Dig, Op. 5, No. 3
Glitter and Be Gay, from Candide
Claire de lune, from Quatre chansons de jeunesse
Apparition, from Quatre chansons de jeunesse
Pantomime, from Quatre chansons de jeunesse
Pierrot, from Quatre chansons de jeunesse
Med en vandlilje, Op. 25, No. 4
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