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TRANSCRIPT
AO.J
THE SOPRANO ROLE IN HANDEL'S OPERAS
THESIS
Presented to the Graduate Council of the
North Texas State College in Partial
Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree of
MASTER OF MUSIC
by
Ida Elizabeth Weir, B. S. E.
Little Rock, Arkansas
January, 195+
PREFACE
The purpose of this study is to give some insight into
the soprano role in Hgndel's operas in comparison to the
other roles.
Although Handel has won wide acclaim due to his
oratorios, little recognition has been given to him today
through his operas. From a total of forty operas written,
thirty-eight have been published and will be considered in
this thesis. There is a complete analysis of each soprano
role, but only a few outstanding arias are discussed in
detail. The study of the soprano role is preceded by a
chapter on Handel's career, styles,and his operas today. At
the close of Chapter II there are: a list of the operas in
chronological order (Appendix I); a list of the operas in
alphabetical order (Appendix II); a list of the soprano arias,
recitatives and duets in alphabetical order according to each
opera with corresponding role, range, volume and page number
in the Chrysander Edition (HCE) (Appendix III), and a list of
soprano arias, duets and recitatives in alphabetical order
with corresponding opera and location (Appendix IV). A bib-
liography of the available literature in books and music will
be found at the end.
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PagePREFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * . . * . . . i1i
ChapterI. HANDEL AS AN OPERA COMPOSER. . . . . . . . . . 1
Handel's CareerTechniques and StylesHis Operas Today
II. THE OPERAS... ... .*. . . . . . . .. . 20
APPENDIXI. OPERAS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER. . . . . . . . . 87
II. OPERAS I ALPHABETICAL ORDER . . . . . . . . . 88
III. SOPRANO ARIAS, DUETS AND RECITATIVES INALPHABETICAL ORDER ACCORDING TO EACH OPERAWITH CORRESPOTTDI T G ROLE, RANGE, VOLUME ANDPAGE VTMBER. * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
IV. SOPRANO ARIAS, DUETS AND RECITATIVES INALPHABETICAL ORDER WITH CORRESPODITGOPERA AND LCCATION. . . . . . . . . . ... 125
BIBLIOGRAPHY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
iv
CHAPTER I
HANDEL AS AN OPERA COMPOSER
Handel's Career
In 1703 Handel began his operatic career at the age of
eighteen in Hamburg. He obtained the position as second
violinist in the opera orchestra in the Gansemarkt Opera
House. At this time Reinhard Keiser's' German opera,
Claudius (1703), became the first work sung in the Ganse-
markt to include numbers in Italian. Keiser composed almost
one hundred and twenty operas,2 only a few of them to wholly
German texts. Most of his works were partly or entirely
Italian in both text and musical style.
More important to Handel than Keiser, though by no means
a musician of Keiser's genius, was the Gansemarkt's leading
tenor, Johann Mattheson. At the age of nine years (1690)
he became an opera chorister and six years later a soloist.
He heard Die Pleyaden (1699), his own first opera, sung in
1Keiser (1674-1739) was then at the height of hisoperatic career (1694-1739). He was the first German toemploy popular subjects in opera. (Bakers BiographicalDictionary of Musicians, "Handel").
20nly twenty-two of these operas have been preserved.(R. A. Streatfield, The Opera, p. 13).
1
2
Hamburg at the age of eighteen.3 But the operatic section of
his very long career was brief. In 1728 he became deaf, con-
sequently he turned to writing about music.
The friendship that existed between Handel and Matthesm
proved to be valuable because it probably helped Handel to
obtain the position as second violinist in the orchestra of
the Gansemarkt.
In the spring of 1704, Keiser began to write an opera te
a text by a poet named Friedrich Christian Feustking. The
libretto was partially translated into German from an Italian
original and partially left in Italian. Something distracted
Keiser's attention after he began to work, and he conse-
quently invited Handel to collaborate with him in the opera.
Then he gave up his part altogether, and Handel decided to
set the text by himself. Thus he came to the composition of
Almira, the first of his forty operas.6 He seems to have
3Abdy Williams, Handel, p. 19.
4Herbert Weinstock, Handel, p. 21.
5The libretto contained fifteen Italian airs, andforty-four German songs. (W. S. Rockstro, The Life ofGeorge Frederich Handel, p. 39).
6According to Charles Burney, A General History ofMusic, II, Newman Flower, George Frederic Handel, and Her-bert Weinstock, Handel, Handel composed forty operas. HugoLeichtentritt, "Handel," The International Cyclopedia ofMusic,and Edward J. Dent, Handel, claim that Handel wroteforty-six operas which include the following six addeddramas: Silla (1712), Parnasso in testo (1734), Terpsi-chore, a ballet, with the second version of Il Pastor Fido(1734), Oreste (1734), Alessandro Severo (1737), andJupiter in Arg os(1739).
3
worked on it all during the latter half of 1704, while
continuing his labors in the opera house orchestra and
his tutoring.
On January 1, 1705, Handel's Almira was sung at the
Gansemarkt Opera House. Its audience, not distrubed at all
by the ridiculous story propounded partly in German and
partly in Italian, gave every sign of approval. Keiser
seemed very jealous of Handel, because Almira was assured
of success. Rivalry existed between them, but Handel was
not too perturbed for he was selected to write two new
operas, Nero in 1705, and Floririda and Dafne in 1706.7
These were to be presented in Hamburg, but before the
second one was performed he left the city. He had made the
acquaintance of an Italian Medici prince who invited him to
travel with him to Italy.8 This Italian prince, Gaston de'
Medici, ultimately proved to be responsible for one of the
most decisive developments in Handel's life. He told Handel
he felt sure that he would go far in the operatic field,
described to him the glories of Italian music at Florence
7The libretto of Nero was put together entirely inGerman by Feustking. It contained seventy-five arias. Thescores of both operas are lost. (W. S. Rockstro, The Lifeof George Frederic Handel, p. 40).
8Hugo Leichtentritt, "Handel," The InternationalCyclopedia of Music and Musicians, edited by 0. Thompson.
and Rome, and convinced him that he was wasting his time in
Hamburg.9
During these years in Italy (1706-1709) he became
acquainted with some of the leading Italian masters,
Alessandro and Domenico Scarlatti, Corelli, Agostino
Steffani and many others. His association with them helped
him master the most advanced Italian style. As he studied
their techniques, he accomplished the art of combining the
best characteristics of the German and Italian methods.
Later on he included some of the English and French methods.
Because of his artistic ability which was portrayed by his
development of these methods, he rivaled some of the
greatest Italian masters. As he travelled in many of the
large cities, Florence, Rome and Naples, he was declared a
genius by the best critics of that day. The achievement of
his success was in 1709, when the opera Agrippina was pro-
duced in Venice.10 Newman Flower calls this opera "un-
questionably the finest work he had produced in Italy or
elsewhere, and it was incidentally the means of getting him
back again to his native land." 11 After returning to
Hanover, Handel was appointed court conductor, on the
9 Newman FlQwer, George Frederic Handel, p. 77.
10Hupo Leichtentritt, "Handel," The InternationalCyclopedia of Music and Musicians, edited by 0. Thompson.
1 1 Flower, p_. cit. , p. 97.
5.
recommendation of Agostino Steffani. He then was invited to
produce a new opera in London.
Rinaldo (1711), his first opera for the English
capital, was so successful that a field of brilliant
activities was opened to him there. Young Handel, who
possessed, for an artist, unusual abilities for conducting
business affairs, was not slow in perceiving the possi-
bilities in London and he resolved to live permanently in
England. Though he returned to Hanover for a short time,
he hastened back to London where, in 1712 and 1713, his new
operas, 11 Pastor Fido and Teseo brought him new triumphs.
Handel never returned to Hanover.
The decade 1720-1730 marks the acme of Handel's career
as composer of Italian operas. No less then fifteen new
Handel operas were given during these years, among them were
masterworks like Radamisto (1720), Ottone (1723), Giulio
Cesare (1724), Tamerlano (1724), Rodelinda (1725), Admeto
(1727) and Tolomeo (1728).
The Royal Academy of Music closed in 1728 owing to the
lack of support of the public in London. The eyes of the
public had turned toward ThBe Bgar's Oper., 1 2 a parody on
12The music consists of sixty-nine numbers adapted byPepusch to popular airs (one of which is the March fromHandel's Rinaldo 1711); Pepusch also arranged and orches-trated the score and composed one of the songs and theoverture (which is founded on the air, "One Evening HavingLost My Way," occurring in the third act). (AlfredLowenberg, Annals of Opera, p. 82).
6
Italian opera. The words are by John Gay and the music is
partly composed and arranged by John Christopher Pepusch.
The people were becoming tired of the Italian opera and the
lightness of TheBeggar's a with the ballad tunes and
clever satire attracted the attention of all the music
lovers. The rivalry and jealousy of the famous prima
donnas, Faustina Bordonil3 and Francesca Cuzzoni,14 and also
the castrato, Senesino,15 created reign of unhappiness
during these years, therefore the public looked toward the
lighter veins in opera.16
After being closed for a year, the Royal Academy of
Music was reorganized in December 1729 with a new company
of Italipn singers. Prominent among these singers were
Antonio Bernacchi, castrato soprano, and the soprano, Anna
Po La Strada. Handel's new operas, Poro (1731), Ezio
(1732), and Orlando (1733) were successful productions in
13Faustina (1693-1783), a soprano, married JohannAdolph Hasse in 1732 and was later referred to as FaustinaHasse. (Charles Burney A General story of Music, II,p. 738. According to Bakers Biographical Dictionary ofMusicians, "Handel," Faustina was a mezzo-soprano.
14Cuzzoni (1700-1770) is referred to as a soprano byBurney (p. 740) and Flower (p. 161), but as a contralto byWilliams (p. 73).
15Senesino (1680-17 50) is referred to as a castratisoprano by Williams (p. 71) and Rockstro (p. 129), and amezzo-soprano by Flower (p. 1+4) and Weinstock (p. 93).His real name was Francesco Bernardi.
16Hugo Leichtentritt, "Handel," The InternationalCyclopedia of Music and Musicians, edited by 0. Thompson.
7
this theater. At this time he encountered rivalry with
Giovanni Battista Bononcini who was the conductor and
dramatic composer for the new King's theater. Owing to this
rivalry and The Beggar's Opera, Handel closed his theater
again (1733). Handel continued his efforts for the third
time in the Covent Garden Theater. Still rivalry existed,
as he was forced to compete with Nicolo Porpora's operahouse
and his leading singer, Carlo Broschi Farinelli.17
The year 1737 proved to be Handel's most disappointing
year in his life due to two major catastrophies: the
closing of the opera houses and a stroke of paralysis which
caused him great suffering. But with the aid of the hot
waters of Aix-la-Chapelle, Handel regained his health.
In 1738 John James Heidegger18 (1659-1749) refinanced
and combined the two opera companies. Handel, no longer an
opera director but still a composer, gave to the public his
last operas, Faramondo (1738), Serse (1738) and Deidamia
(1741). Although his thirty-five years as a composer had
not given him financial independence, he retained the
courage to continue his efforts in another field--oratorios
--many of which have lived through the years.
17According to Rockstro, Handel, p. 190, he was themost renowned artificial soprano in Europe at that time.His real name is Carlo Broschi.
18Heidegger, an opera manager, went to England in 1707,and in 1708-1734 was manager of the London Opera House. In1729-1734 he was in partnership with Handel at the Ray-market Theater. He wrote the libretto for Handel's Amadigi(1716). (Hugo Leichtentritt, "Heidegger," The InternationalCyclopediaof Music and Musicians.
8
Techniques and Styles
Handel was a man of much talent and produced operas
that were equal to anything that had been composed up to the
time they came into existence in 1705. He was very familiar
with dramatic art, knew more about the voice than most
singing masters and was a great composer to boot. While
writing under disturbing ci cumstances and conditions, he
displayed his talent in producing real works of art.1 9
In order to understand what these conditions were, it
is necessary to be familiar with the conventions of the
Italian opera. Handel did not stray from the conventions
of his day, yet he uses a variety of forms and styles. He
experimented in new forms, the descriptive symphony opening
the opera,20 refined orchestration,21 and ensembles and
dances.22 Nothing seems to have been too much for him.
Handel took the opera as he found it and merely embellished
it by his genius.
The plan of the opera was highly conventionalized, the
main object being to give each character an opportunity for
display. The singers were expected to possess an ability to
produce tones of much volume and be able to sing the
19Abdy Williams, Handel, p. 173.20 HCE, Vol. 74, . 1, i.e. the introduction to Riccardo
(1727) which represents a vessel wrecked in a tempestuoussea.21HCE, Vol. 82, p. 16, i.e. "Non fugia," Orlando (1733).22HCE, Vol. 85, p. 130, i.e. Ariodante (1735) HCE,
Vol 86 p. 143 i.e. Alcina(.36) and HCE, Vol. 98,p. 80, i.e. Giuiio Cesae (172
9
so-called "divisionstt23 with much exactness. Also, they were
to originate other divisions and to use their own ingenuity
in embellishing the melodies of the airs with graces and
cadenzas.24
According to Abdy Williams,25 the singers were pampered
to the extent that they had become overbearing and con-
ceited, expecting the composers to satisfy their every whim.
Burney cites an incident which described Handel's effective
manner of handling his misbehaved singers. While indulging
at a rehearsal of Ottone (1723), Handel threatened to throw
Francesca Cuzzoni out of the window and pretended to carry
out his threat. Cuzzoni's temperament soon vanished.26
Jealousies were very frequent between the singers.
One of Handel's cleverest devices was the writing of the
duet27 in which the two prima donnas, Cuzzoni and Faustina
were given absolutely equal parts, so that neither could
say that she had sung second to the other.
23A term used in Seventeenth Century England for vari-ations. It became current because it involved dividing thenotes of the melody into notes of smaller value.
24Abdy Williams, Handel, p. 174.
25Ihid., p. 176.
2 6Charles Burney, A General History of Music, II,p. 721.
27See HCE, Vol. 72, p. 52, i.e. "Son d'amore nellaface calma," Alessandro, (1726).
10
It is evident that much success of the opera depended
on the employment of the best singers. Handel paid his
singers handsomely and when he could no longer afford this,
in the time of his bankruptcy, he somehow managed to
arrange that his singers be well paid for their services.28
According to the conventions of the Italian operas,
nearly all the arias took the da capo form cultivated by
Alessandro Scarlatti, namely a long section in the principal
key, followed by a shorter section in a related key and
rounded off by a repetition (da capo) of the whole of the
first section. Each performer had to sing one or more songs
in each of the three acts and no performer might sing two
arias in succession. Since it was not possible to break the
monotony of the solo voices by the addition of choruses,
Handel enlivened these solos by the flexibility and the
variety of his instrumental accompaniments.
In the vocal solos, Handel uses many different forms
and styles. He blends the voices well with the instruments
in such airs as "Cara sposa"29 from Rinaldo (1711) and
"Ombra cara"30 from Radamisto (1720). These airs are
examples of seeking new combinations for the old form. In
28Abdy Williams, Handel, pp. 176-177.
29HCE, Vol. 58, p. 39.
30HcE, Vol. 63, p. 43.
11
the da capo aria we find that sometimes the second part has
a different character and movement from that of the first
part.31
The recitative scene is a type of vocal solo that
Handel used frequently. Recitative was either secco, that is
with only the basses and harpsichord for accompaniment or
stromentato (accompanied by the strings). 32 The scenes con-
sisted of recitative followed by an aria. The recitative
runs naturally into the air by beginning with the recitative
secco, almost spoken, then proceeds to recitative accom-
pagnato, and finally to the air. In Scipione (1726) spoken
recitative surrounds the phrases of the accompanied recita-
tive.33 Teseo (1713), Rodelinda (1725), Alessandro (1726),
and Alcina (1736) all present recitative scenes and very
free airs, with instrumental interludes.
The study of Handel's vocal solos presents us with the
problem of vocal ornamentation added to the written notes
31Arioso of Media at the beginning of Act IIcf Teseo(1712), "Dolce riposo," i.e. HCE, Vol. 60, p. 30.
32HCE, Vol. 60, p. 47, i.e. the recitative, "Ira,sdegni, e furore," Teseo (1712); HCE, Vol. 68, p. 82, i.e."Che sento?" Giulio Cesare (1724), and HCE, Vol. 86, p. 97,i.e. "Ah 'Ruggiero Crudel," Alcina (1736). This last men-tioned recitative has an accompaniment of strings, harpsichordand bass through the seventeenth measure. From the seven-teenth to the twentieth measures no accompaniment is used,not even the bass. After the twentieth measure theoriginal accompaniment is resumed.
33HCE, Vol. 71, p. 23, i.e. "Oh sventurati,"Scipione (1726).
12
by the performers. According to the convention of that day,
singers were expected to embellish the melodies of the airs
with graces, melismatic figures and cadenzas. But, according
to Handel's operas, the vocal ornaments were not impro-
vised and left to the fancy of the singers but were marked
with precise indications in the singers parts and also in
the score of the accompanying clavecinist. 3 5
Handel makes little use of vocal ensemble pieces in
comparison to his vocal solos. His duets are often written
in an imitative style,36 serious and rather sad, or in the
style where the two voices mingle together note by note with
exactitude.37 In the duet in the third act of Orlando (1733)
34The ornamentation was much more elaborate and moreirrelevant to the expression in his operas than in hisoratorios.
35 See Robert Haas, Auggtlhrungspraxis, p. 192, the aria"Lascia ch' io pinaga," from Rinaldo (1711). According toRemain Rolland, Handel, p. 129, Max Seiffert has given adescription of the whole series of copies of Handel's operasand oratorios in the Lennard Collection of the FitzwilliamMuseum at Cambridge. There are to be found there (in pen-cil) the indication of the ornaments and vocalises executedby the singers. Rolland says that according to Seiffertthese indications were by Christopher Smith, the friend ofHandel, and that according to Hugo Goldschmidt they were putin at the end of the eighteenth century. In any case, theyshow a vocal tradition which seems to preserve for us thegeneral style of the musical ornaments of Handel's time.
36HCE, Vol. 60, p. 19, i.e. "Addio, mio care bene,"Teseo (1712).
37"Quando piu minaccia il cielo," Arminio (1737).(HCE, Vol. 89, p. 77). It is to be noticed that Arminio isHandel's only opera that opens with a duet. (BCE, Vol. 89,p. 6, i.e. "Il fuggir, cara mia vita").
13
Handel attempts to differentiate the characters of the
weeping Angelica and the furious Roland.38 In Radamisto
(1720) Handel made the attempt at a dramatic quartet, but
rather clumsily and with repeated Da Capo.39
The choruses in the Italian opera of the eighteenth
century consist of the union of the voices of the soloists
at the end of a piece. Handel attempted to escape from the
current banality in his ensembles: that of Tamerlano4O
(1724) is written in a melancholy dramatic vein, that of
Orlando)1 (1733) strives to preserve the individual charac-
ter of each personality, and that of Giulio Cesare2 (1724)
is tacked on to a duet. There are also choruses of people,
the hunters in Deidamia43 (1741), where the choruses take
up the refrain from the air announced by the solo voice.
Finally, Handel frequently attempted to build up the
Musical architecture, raising it by successive stages from
solos to ensemble pieces and then to choruses. At the end
of the first act of Ariodante (1735) a duet 1 (gavotte style)
is taken up by the chorus, then danced without voices;
38HCE, Vol. 82, p. 93.
39HCE, Vol. 63, p. 195, i.e. "0 cedere o perir."
40HCE, Vol. 69, p. 142. 41HCE, Vol. 82, p. 105.
42HCE, Vol. 68, p. 128. 43HCE, Vol. 94, p. 136.
1+ +HCE, Vol. 85, p. 52.
14
finally sung and danced. The close of Act III from the same
operagives us a chain of processions, dances and choruses.
The final scene of Alessandro (1726) constitutes a different
opera finale which consists of two duets and a trio running
into a chorus.4
One of Handel's greatest characteristics was his
ability to show great skill in his dramatic art. He de-
veloped the dramatic portrait of a character through his
arias, each of which express a different type of emotion.
Thus, several arias of one character constitutes the per-
sonality of the role portrayed. Recitatives furnish the
musical background for the dramatic action in the operas.
In contrast to this, the arias and duets had no dramatic
action but were composed only to appeal to the ears of the
public in expressing emotions.46
To give at least one specific illustration of Handel's
dramatic technique, Hugo Leichtentritt briefly analyzed the
role of Rodelinda (from the opera, Rodelinda, 1725):
The musical portrait of Rodelinda is completed bysumming up the ten arias which fall to her in theopera's three acts. Each aria illustrates one partic-ular trait of her character. Handel takes care not torepeat himself, but to make these ten pieces differentfrom each other, to give every "affetto" its own colorand accent, its own emotional stamp.
4 5HCE, Vol. 72, pp. 12!5-132.
4 6Hugo Leichtentritt, "Handel," The InternationalCyclopedia of Music and Musicians.
15
King Bertarich has lost his throne and apparentlyhis life in a combat with his rival Grimwald. In herFirst arioso, "Ho perduto il cara sposa," his wife,Queen Rodelinda, mourns the loss of her husband in anoble c minor strain full of pathetic accents, mixedwith subdued grief. When the victor, Grimwald, offersto marry her and. make her queen again, she rejectsthis offer in her second g minor aria, "L'empio rigordel fato," filled with the expression of pride andindignation mixed with sadness. Her third aria,"Ombre piante, urne funeste," is a lament at the urn ofthe supposedly deceased king, a piece full of womanlytenderness, of affectionate homage. Finally she isforced to listen to Grimwald's wooing, in order to savethe life of her young son. In her fourth aria, "Morrai,"her wrath and indignation are expressed in tones offlaming violence. Her next air, "Spietati, io vigiurai," has a heroic-pathetic ground-tone, withaccents of pride, fortitude, motherly love and indig-nation: a magnificent piece, pointing directly toGluck, Beethoven and Wagner. Her supposedly deadhusband is in reality still living. Rodelinda's sixtharia, "Vive il mio sposo," and her beautiful C majorsiciliano, "Ritorna o caro e dolce mio tesoro," arefull of brightness, hope and joy. But the tone changeswhen the secret meeting with her husband comes to aclose. Their meeting is discovered and the former kingis captured again. She takes leave from him in tonesof desperate agitation. Their duet, "Io t' abbraccio(in F-sharp minor) has heartrending accents of pain.For the second time she believes her husband dead andlaments his loss in a truly grandiose air, "Ahi perchegiusto ciel. " When finally King Bertarich emergesvictorious, Rodelinda's last aria, "Mio caro bene,"overflows with happiness. 7
The orchestration of Handel's operas would probably seem
monotonous to an audience accustomed to the brilliance of
modern instrumentation. Handel lays a foundation of strings
and harpsichord.48 Often he adds oboes in unison with the
4 7Hugo Leichtentritt, "Handel," The InternationalCyclopedia of Music and Musicians.
1+ 8HCE, Vol. 58, p. 61, i.e. "Lascia ch' io pianga,"Rinaldo (1711).
16
violins4+9 and bassoons in unison with the string basses. 0
He introduces other instruments only for special effects.
In the aria, "Non fu gia,1 Orlando (1733), two horns were
added making an eight-part accompaniment to the voice part.
Horns were added only occasionally.
Frequently an aria is accompanied by violins, or even
the whole orchestra, in unison with the voice without any
bass.52 Solo passages for oboe, bassoon, violin or
violoncello often occur in the songs, demanding considerable
skill.53 In contrast to the accompanied arias, "Bel piacer"54
from Rinaldo (1711), is an aria that is wholly unaccompanied;
there is not even a bassocontinuo part.
Handel was very careful in his choice of suitable
instrumentation. His orchestra was large and he used much
skill in his use of orchestration.
Another interesting observance in Handel's operas is
his inconsistency in his vocal distributions. Notice the
following distributions of some of the London operas:
49HCE, Vol. 71, p. 63, i.e. "Scioglio d' immorta
fronte," Scipione (1726).
5OIbid. 51HCE, Vol. 82, p. 16.
52HCE, Vol. 58, p. 54, i.e. "Il tricerbero humiliata,"Rinaldo (1711).
53HCE, Vol. 63, p. 95, i.e. "Casti amori," Radamisto
(1720) which has a solo for the bassoon, violin and violen-
cello. HCE, Vol. 59, p. 35, the aria, "Finte labbia,"Il Pastor Fido (1712), has an oboe solo.
54HCE, Vol. 58, p. 97.
17
Radamisto (1720): 4 sopranos, 1 alto, 1 tenor, 1 bass.Floridante (1721): 2 sopranos, 2 contraltos, 2 basses.Giulio Cesare (1724): 2 sopranos, 2 altos, 1 contralto,
2 basses.Tamerlano (1724): 2 sopranos, 1 contralto, 1 alto,
1 tenor, 1 bass.Admeto (1727): 2 sopranos, 2 altos, 1 contralto,
2 basses.Orlando (1733): 2 sopranos, 1 alto, 1 contralto, bass.Deidamia (1741): 3 sopranos, 1 contralto, 2 basses.
The above distributions show that there is more use of the
soprano voice than of any other.
His Operas Today
Although Handel's oratorios are living today, very few
of his operas have survived. Yet in Handel's time undoubt-
edly they were the best works of their kind that had ever
been produced.
Handel confined himself to the accepted forms of his
contemporaries, only elaborating but not developing them.
Handel was more interested in writing for his own public
than developing the art for the future.55 Arthur James
Balfour in an article from the "Edinburgh Review,"
January 1887, says:
The greatest works which the world has seen havenot been dedicated to an unknown posterity, but havebeen produced to satisfy the daily needs of their age,and have, therefore, of necessity conformed to thetaste, and usually to the fashion and the prejudices,of the period which gave them birth. So it was withHandel's operas; and without doubt, but for twoaccidental circumstances, it is to the production ofoperas that he would have mainly devoted himself, tothe infinite loss of posterity, even to the very end
N5 Abdy Williams, Handel, p. 181.
18
of his career. These two circumstances were therivalries and quarrels already adverted to, which madeit impossible profitably to perform operas and theobservance of Lent, wh ch made it possible profitablyto perform oratorios. 5
One of the reasons for the non-survival of the operas
is the similarity of subjects treated in the same manner.
Handel selected classical subjects (such as the history of
Julius Caesar), which had been reduced by the librettist to
stereotyped characters and situations.
The composition of the vocal parts for specific singers
proves to be another reason for their disappearance from the
stage. Handel composed for individual singers and altered
the score himself when others sang the role. Today it
would be unusual to find singers who are capable of exe-
cuting the more difficult songs. Also, many of the roles
are written for castrati voices. Today these voices are
extinct.57
56Reprinted in Wilfred Short, "Handel," The Mind ofArthur James Balfour, p. 220.
5 7Abdy Williams, Handel, p. 182.
19
Handel's operas are occasionally revived today. 8 Yet
some of the songs have lived, namely, "Ombra mai fu," from
Serse (1738) better known as "Largo." There are many more
songs which could be revived and used in concerts today.
It is hoped that some of the operas may find their way to
the modern stage and become of value to the artists of the
future.
58Dr. Oskar Eagan, the distinguished historian of art,
had produced nine of them at Gdttingen when the First World
War broke out and cut short his ambitious project of
resurrecting them all. In the United States the scholarly
Werner Josten has staged several of them at Smith College.
(Brockway and Weinstock, Te Opr p. 47). Giulio Cesare
has recently been recorded twice on long playing records.
(G. F. Handel, Jus Caesar, Handel Society, Inc., under
the direction of Walter Goehr and G. F. Handel, Julius
Caesar, Hans Swaronesky, conductor, Akademiechor, Pro-Musica Chamber Orchestra, Vienna), Vox recording.
CHAPTER II
THE OPERAS
Almira was first produced January 8, 1705, at
Gansemarkt Opera House in Hamburg, Germany. The libretto
contained fifteen Italian airs and forty-four German songs,
translated by Friedrich Christian Feustking from an Italian
original.1 According to W. S. Rockstro,2 the story is
poorly described and utterly devoid of interest. Many of
the scenes have been used again in later works, such as the
Sarabande in F in the third act. Six years after its per-
formance this Sarabande reappeared in London in the guise
of the soprano aria, "Lascia ch' io pianga,3 sung by
Isabella Giraudeau in the most successful opera of the age,
Rinaldo (1711).
From a total of eight roles, Almira contains three
sopranos: Almira, Edilia and Bellante. Almira sings nine
arias and one duetto; Edilia, five arias and one duetto;
Bellante, only four arias and one duetto. Thus there are
eighteen soprano arias from a total of forty-seven. There
1This Italian libretto was written by G. Pancierei.(Alfred Lowenberg, Annals of Opera, 1597-1940, p. 57).
2W. S. Rockstro, The Life of George Frederic Handel,p. 39.
3 HCE, Vol. 58, p. 61.
20
21
are three duettos, each including a soprano part; three
ariosos, none by the soprano role, and one recitative by
another part.
The soprano voice in this opera is particularly im-
portant owing to the fact that the role of Almira has the
widest range in all of Handel's operas; the range extends
from c' to c''' .4 Only the aria, "Kochet, ihr Adern,"5
contains her highest and lowest note. This aria, Edilia's
aria, "Der Himmel wird strafen,"6 and "Quella fiamma"7 from
Arminio are the only arias in Handel's operas which contain
high c.
Bellante's role has a range from d' - Bb'', which is a
wide range compared with the rest of Handel's arias.
Of the three duets Almira's duet, "Spielet ihr
blitzenden Augen,"8 contains the note Bb'' as its highest
note. The other two duets for Edilia and Bellante both
include a'' as the highest note and e' as the lowest.
Handel's second opera, Rodrigo, was first performed in
July, 1707. Unlike the previous opera, Almira, which was
hilli Apel, "Pitch Names," Harvard Dictionary.
5'HCE, Vol. 55, p. 96.
6Ibid., p. 69.
7 Ibid., Vol. 89, p. 40.
8Ibid., Vol. 55, p. 109.
22
sung partly in German and partly in Italian, Rodrigo has a
wholly Italian text. The librettist is unknown.9
From a total of six roles, this opera contains four
soprano roles: Rodrigo, Esilena, Florinda and Evaneo.
Rodrigo sings six arias and one duet; Esilena, eight arias
and one duet; Florinda, four arias, and Evaneo, six arias.
There are thirty-two arias, twenty-four of which are sung by
the soprano voice. Esilena and Rodrigo sing the only duet,
"Prendo 1' alma prendo il core." 10 The range in this duet
extends from d' to a'', with Esilena singing the highest
note, att. Rodrigo's highest note in the duet is g''.
The range in Rodrigo's six arias extends from d' to a'',
with the very first aria of the opera, "Pugneran con noi le
stelle,"l including his only a''. The role of Esilena
ranges from e' to a'' with three of her arias containing the
a''. The role of Florinda includes the widest range of the
four soprano roles; the range is from d' to Bb''' The aria,
"Alle glorie, alle palme," 12 contains the only Bb'' in the
whole opera. The last soprano role, Evaneo, has the same
range as the role of Esilena.
9 Newman Flower, George Frederic Handel, p. 83.
10HCE, Vol. 56, p. 91. 1 2 Ibid., p. 13.
12Ibid., p. 74.
23
The opera, Agrippina, was completed December 26, 1709,
in Venice, Italy, and was presented there for twentyseven
performances. The text was written by Cardinal Vincenzo
Grimani. This opera was Handel's only opera produced in
Italy during his three years stay there.
This opera and the opera, Guistino (1737), contain nine
roles, which is more than in any other of Handel's operas.
From a total of the nine roles, three are sung by the sopra-
nos: Agrippina, Nerone and Poppea. There are thirty-seven
arias, twenty-two of which are sung by soprano roles:
Agrippina, eight; Nerone, five and Poppea, nine. Nerone
sings the only soprano arioso, "Qual piacer a un cor
pietoso";13 the other one is performed by another role.
The two ariettas, one recitative and the one trio are also
sung by other roles. The quartet, "Il tuo figlio,"11l con-
tains parts for Agrippina and Nerone.
Poppea has the highest range in the opera; her range
extends from d' to b''. Agrippina sings to a'' and Nerone
to g''.
Poppea's aria, "Se guinge un dispetto,"1 5 is one of her
most difficult arias, with much use of ornamentations. This
aria is her highest in range.
1 3 HCE, Vol. 57, p. 22 1+Ibid., p. 25.
15Ibid., p. 57.
Nerone's most difficult aria appears to be "Sotto il
lauro che hai sul crine,"16 also with difficult ornamen-
tations.
Rinaldo, the first Italian opera that Handel wrote for
London, was first brought out on February 24, 1711, in the
Haymarket Theater and was one of his most sucessful works
for the stage. The author of the poem was an Englishman,
Aaron Hill, then the Director of the Haymarket Theater. It
was translated into Italian by Giacomo Rossi.
From a total of seven roles, this production included
three for the soprano: Almirena, sung by Isabella Giraudeau;
Armida, sung by Elisabetta Pilotti Schiavonetti; and
Rinaldo, sung by Nicolini,17 (Nicolino Grimaldi) a castrato.
On December 30, 1714, Rinaldo was revived with Diana Vico,
a new female singer from Italy, taking the part of Rinaldo.
In the production on January 4, 1715, Nicolini returned in
the role of Rinaldo.18 The 1717 production remained the
same for the soprano roles, except for the role of Almirena,
which was sung by Anastasia Robinson.1 9
1611CE, Vol. 57, p. 77.
17Nicolini had a remarkably fine soprano voice whichdropped to a rich contralto. (Newman Flower, G. F. Hp. 105). This was Handel's only opera in which he sang asoprano role.
18Charles Burney, A General History of Music, II,
p. 694.
191bid., p. 699.
25
In 1731, Handel again revived the opera, but his
singers were then so different from the previous revival
that, with the exception of Almirena and a few minor parts,
all the solos had to be rewritten. In the action, as well
as in the choice of songs, important alterations were made.20
In this version of the opera, there are only twenty-
eight arias, with only four sung by Almirena. There are
also three duets in this version, with only two containing
one soprano each, and two recitatives with one sung by the
soprano.
In the first version of the opera there is a total of
thirty-one arias, seventeen of which are sung by sopranos;
Rinaldo, eight; Armida, five; Almirena, four. There are
three duets, two21 of which are for two sopranos: Armida
and Rinaldo. The third duet, "Al Trionfo del nostro
furore," 22 is sung by Armida and a bass. This is the only
duet in Wandel's operas that is sung by a soprano and a
bass. The one recitative in the opera is sung by Armida.
2 0 HCE, Vol. 58, Introduction.
21HCE, Vol. 58, pp. 65 174, i.e., "Fermati! Armidason fedel," and HCE, Vol. 5, pp. 35, 149, i.e.,"Scherzanosul tuo volto."
22 0HCE, Vol. 58, p. 93.
26
The best-known aria in the opera is "Lascia ch' io
pianga,"23 sung by Almirena in both versions. Handel had
previously used it first as a saraband in Act III of Almira
(1705) and again as "Lascia la spina" in Il. Trionfo dal
Temno (1708).24 The range extends only from f' to g''.
Handel uses two violins, a viola and a bass as accompani-
ment, which is very common in his soprano arias.
A lesser-known aria of Almirena, "Augelletti, che
cantate, zefiretti,t125 has an adagio tempo and includes
twenty-five measures of introduction before the soprano
voice begins. The range of the aria is the same as that of
"Lascia cht io pianga." The extent of Almirena's part is
from e' to a'' with two of her arias and one duet containing
her highest note a''.
Rinaldo's touching aria, "cara sposa,1126 is another
outstanding aria. In the original version of the opera
2 3 HCE, Vol. 58, pp. 61, 168. Also found in Knud
Jeppesen, LaFlora, I, p. 41, and Frank LaForge, Pathwaysof Songs, II, p. 48.
2Hugo Leichtentritt, "Handel," Th eInternational
Cyclo-edia of Music and Musicians.
25 HCE, Vol. 58, pp. 31, 147. According to Burney,
there is, in the original score preceding this aria, along symphony of twenty-one bars for octave flutes (inimitation of birds) which is not printed. While this was
playing, the sparrows were let loose. (Charles Burney,A General istoy of Music, II, p. 674.
26HCE, Vol. 58, pp. 39, 152.
27
where Rinaldo was sung by the soprano, INicolini, the aria
is in the key of e minor with the range from b to e''. In
the second version of the opera, for the same reason, the
aria was transposed to d minor (range a-d''). Rinaldo's
range extends from a to a'' with only one aria, "Molto
voglio, "27 containing his highest note.
On November 26, 1712, Handel furnished the English
stage with a second opera, I_. Pastor Fido, or The Faithful
Shepherd. This drama, which was written by Giacomo Rossi,
author of Rinaldo, includes six roles, three by the soprano
voice, one of which is sung by a castrato. The roles are:
Mirtillo, performed by Cavaliere Valeriano Pellegrini, the
castrato;28 Amarilli, by Pilotti Schiavonetti; and Eurilla,
by Margarita de 1' Epine.
Mirtillo sings six arias and one duet; Amarilli, three
arias, one recitative and one duet; and Eurilla, five arias.
There is a total of twenty-three arias, fourteen of which
are sung by sopranos; one duet, both by sopranos, Amarilli
and Mirtillo; and one recitative, sung by Amarilli.
2 7 HCE, Vol. 58, pp. 29, 116.
28Nicolini had returned to Italy and the part ofRinaldo was given to a recent arrival from Italy, CavalierValeriano, "an artificial soprano of poor execution."(Newman Flower, George Frederic Handel, p. 114).
28
The first air for a soprano, "Fato crudo, amor
severo," 29 is accompanied by a viol6ncello; but Handel
always contrives to make this single accompaniment inter-
esting without overwhelming the voice part or depriving it
of attention. The next air, "Augelletti, ruscelletti, che
cantando,"30 for the same singer, had not even a bass to
accompany the voice part, which is doubled by the violins
in unison. Burney says, "this purity and simplicity are
exquisite and would always be pleasing to an audience, as a
contrast to ri.ch harmony and contrivance; but some of these
airs are now too trivial and far advanced in years to
support themselves totally without harmony.?"31 Another air
for Kirtillo, "Lontan del mio tesoro struggo 1' amante
cor," has only a violoncello accompaniment. In 1732, this
air was introduced in the opera of Ezio (1732) with dif-
ferent words as appears from a pencilled memorandum made by
Handel himself in the score.33
The role of Mirtillo ranges from d' to a'' with three
of his arias containing his highest note. Mirtillo sings
the only duet with Amarilli, both having the same range,
d' to g''.
29HCE, Vol. 59, p. 13. 30 Ibid., p. 140
31Charles Burney, A General Histor of Music, II,p. 682.
32HCE, Vol. 59,. p. 20. 3 3 Burney, 2p. .i., p. 682.
29
The range of Amarilli extends from d' to atl, the same
at Mirtillo's range. The role was first performed by
Pilotti Schiavonetti. Her first aria, "Son come navi-
cella,"34 has no accompaniment but a busy bass which, if
doubled, would be a strong independent voice instead of an
accompanying part. The fourth air, in Act II, "Finte
labbia," 3 5 has a solo part for the oboe.
Margarita's first aria, "Di goder il bel ch' adoro si
lusinga,"36 in the role of Eurilla, is accompanied by two
violins, tenor and bass, and requires more rapid execution
than any other in the first act. Another air for Eurilla,
"Ritorno adesso amor,"37 has solo parts for two oboes. The
style is a fugue upon two subjects and is a very masterly
composition. This style of writing has been long banished
from the opera as undramatic, for the voice part loses its
superiority. This pastoral drama was performed but four
times.
According to Burney, Handel had at this period no
really great singer. Valeriano was only second rate and
Margarita had "lost the charms of novelty."38
3VHCE, vol. 59, p. 17. 35 Ibid., p. 35.
36Ibid., p. 21. 37Ibid., p. 50.
38Charles Burney, A General History of Music, II,p. 684.
30
The composition of Teseo, Handel's only opera in five
acts, was completed on the nineteenth of December, 1712,
and was first performed in London on January 10, 1713.
Handel, at the time of composing this opera, resided with
Richard Boyle, the Earl of Burlington, a distinguished art
patron, to whom the drama is dedicated. The libretto was
written by Nicola Haym.
Teseo differs from the other operas because there are
five soprano roles. Only one other opera, Faramonda (1738),
can boast of the same distinction. There are a total of
eight roles in Teseo, and the five sopranos are: Teseo,
Agilea, Medea, Clizia and Yinerva. The part of Minerva
probably never came on in person because when four sopranos
were employed there was no voice left to perform the part.
According to the introduction of Handel's Werke (BCE), it
must have been taken by an invisible singer in the bass (for
which it was subsequently altered, as appears in the appen-
dix of the score). 39 Minerva's only contribution to the
opera is a very short aria at the end of the last act. The
aria has a range from f' to g''.
There are twenty-seven arias, twenty of which are sung
by a soprano voice; two ariosos, both by sopranos; four
duets, each containing a soprano part; and three recita-
tives, all by a soprano voice. Teseo sings five arias, one
39HCE, Vol. 60, p. 112 (Appendix).
31
arioso and one duet; Agilea, seven arias and one duet; Medea,
five arias, one arioso, one duet and three recitatives;
Clizia, two arias and two duets; and Minerva, one aria,
which has been mentioned in the above paragraph.
The first air, "E pur bello,"40 for Agilea, was com-
posed for Margarita de 1' Epine and has much ornamentation,
as well as solo parts for the two principal violins. The
whole first part of this song is richly accompanied but the
second part has only a bass accompaniment. The second air,
"Deb serbete,"4 was likewise.written for Agilea but is in a
very different style; it is an andante with a solo part for
the oboe, and two violins echoing each other throughout the
air in short passages of semiquavers. The air, "'M' adora It
idol mio,tt42 terminates the first act. According to Burney,43
this aria is extremely well written. Since the other
instruments are not idle in this song, it required the
voice and energy of an Agilea strong enough to battle them
and still preserve her vocal superiority. As there is no
great poetical beauty in the words of this air, the voice
40HCE, Vol. 60, p. 10. Ilbid., p. l4.
42Ibid., p. 25.
43Charles Burney, A General Eistory of Music, II,p. 686.
44 Galliard, an excellent musician, played the solopart for the oboe. (Charles Burney, A General History ofMusic, II, p. 686).
32
part might be performed by another oboe, a flute or a
violin as an instrumental movement without any great loss to
the hearer. According to Weinstock,45 Agilea's aria,
"Vieni, torna,"46 is one of Handel's most seductive love
songs. The part portrayed by Agilea represents woman with
great passion for her lover. The range of Agilea in all
her arias extends from d' to a''.
The role of Teseo is performed by Valeriano, the only
castrato of the five soprano roles. His range extends from
d' to a'', the same as Agilea's, with his only duet, "Caro!
ti dono in pegno il cor,"'+7 containing his only high a."
Teseo is a character fired with every emotion known to man.
Handel demonstrated that he understood human desire more
truly in Teseo than in any other of his characters in his
early works. Teseo's first aria in the opera does not
appear until the middle of the second act. The following
air, "Yon so piu che bramar"9 is also for the same singer.
Act IV includes an aria, "Qual tigre," 5 0 of rare and
resentment whose accompaniment in iterated notes is
uncommon.
4 Herbert Weinstock, Handel, p. 65.
46HCE, Vol. 60, p. 56. 47Ibid., p. 84.
48Ibd..,p. 44. 49Ibid., p. 45.
5OIbid., p. 81.
33
The second act opens with a charming cavatina, "Dolce
riposo,t5 l sung by Pilotti Schiavonetti in the character of
Medea. Accompanied by an oboe and two violins, this air is
rich in harmony and pleasing in effects. The next air for
the same singer, "Quell' amor,",5 2 is wholly in a different
style but admirable of its kind; it is clear, natural,
phrased, and has a bass superior to the principal melody,
which, however, has not been sacrificed to the instruments.
The last air of this act, "0 stringero nel sen," 5 3 sung by
the enraged Medea, is full of fire and dramatic effects.
Act III contains an accompanied recitative that illustrates
the wild and savage fury of the enraged sorceress, Medea.
This is followed by her air, "Sibillando ululando," 5 4+ which
ends the third act but not the drama, a technique that was
contrary to the practice in Italy and elsewhere during the
eighteenth century. As previously stated, this opera has
five acts. Medea's last aria5 5 in the opera opens the fifth
act. This aria is of great difficulty. It is in five
sections and is supported by Handel's great genius. Medea's
5 1 HCE, Vol. 60, p. 30. This air does not have asecond part.
52Ibid., p. 32. 53 bid., p. 48.
5'4Ibid., p. 65.
55Ibid., p. 90, i.e., "Moriro, ma vendicata."
34
range is from d' to ab'', with her last aria containing
her only ab''.
According to Burney, 5 6 the character Clizia was written
for a second or third class singer of no great abilities.
Clizia's range extends from d' to g''.
Aaadigi was first performed in London on May 25, 1715.
The original manuscript is lost and with it the date of
composition. The conducting score, however, gives the
music complete. The author of the libretto is unknown.
From a total of five roles, this opera contains two
soprano roles: Oriana and Melissa. There are twenty-two
arias, ten of which are sung by a soprano voice; one
arioso by Melissa; two recitatives, with only one sung by a
soprano, Melissa; and two duets, both including one soprano
role.
The first soprano aria, "Ah Spietata e non ti move," 5 7
was sung by Pilotti Schiavonetti, portraying the role of
Melissa. This aria has a fine solo part for the oboe which
is in dialogue with the voice part while the two violins,
tenor and bass have a quiet accompaniment in the modern
style of iterated notes. The second. section is quick and
full of agitation and fury. The next air for Melissa, "Io
56Charles Burney, A General History of Music, II,p. 685.
57 HCE, Vol. 62, p. 17.
35
godo scherzo e rido," 8 full of rage and fury, is character-
istic of her role as a sorceress. Melissa's range, like
most of Handel's soprano roles, extends from d' to a'',
with only one aria, "Ch' io lasci mai d' amare il caro mio
tesoro,"'9 containing her only a''.
Anastasia Robinson portrayed the role of Oriana whose
first aria in the opera is "Gioja venita in sen."t60 Burney
states:
This aria is one of the most graceful andpleasing arias that has ever been composed in theSiciliano style. Every note in the accompanimentsis so select and tranquil that the voice, whollyundisturbed, is left to expand in all the tendernessand expression that the air itself excites. Anotherair for Oriana, "S' estinto el' idol mio," is one ofthe finest that Handel ever produced in his best andmost masterly style: the pathetic subject, thenatural and pleasing imitations in the instrumentalparts, the richness of the harmony, the affectingmodulation, particularly in the second part; but aboveall, the strain of sorrow which runs through everypassage of the voice-part, all conspire to render itone of the most perfect compositions of the kind.
Oriana's range extends from eb' to ab'', with the aria,
"Gioja venite in sen," containing her only ab''.
At this time Nicolini had returned to England as a
contralto. He sang the contralto role, Amadigi, in this
opera.
58HCE, Vol. 62, p. 37. 59 bid.. ,p.69.
60Ibid., p. 28.
6lCharles Burney, A General History of Music, II,p. 696.
36
According to Burney,62 this opera has more invention,
variety and good composition than any one of Handel's
musical dramas.
Radamisto, produced April 17, 1720, was the first of
the operas composed for the new opera house, The Royal
Academy of Music, better known as the Haymarket Theater.
The text was written by Nicola Haym. A change in the
personnel forced Handel in 1728 to make alterations in the
opera by rewriting some of the pieces and adding new ones.
The opera was revived and altered for the singers, Faustina
Bordoni and Senesino,63 contralto, who sang the part of
Radamisto, a soprano role in the original version.
Of the seven roles in the original version, four are
sopranos: Radamisto, Polissena, Tigrane and Fraarte. The
1738 version has only six roles, three of which are sung by
the soprano voice: Zenobia, Polissena and Tigrane. The
role of Radamisto was changed from a soprano to a contralto
role; Zenobia, contralto to soprano; Polissena and Tigrane
both remaining sopranos, while Fraarte was left out entirely
in the later version.
The original version contains twenty-five arias,
seventeen by a soprano: Radamisto, six; Polissena, four;
Tigrane, three; and Fraarte, four. There are three ariosos,
62FC,Vol. 62, p. 63.
63His real name was Francesco Bernardi.
37
with Polissena singing the only soprano arioso. The one
duet in this version is sung by Radamisto, soprano, and
Zenobia, a contralto.
The later version contains nineteen arias, eleven by a
soprano: Zenobia, three; Polissena, four; and Tigrane,
four. The one duet is sung by Zenobia, soprano, and
Radamisto, contralto. This duet is not the same duet as
the one in the original version. The one recitative in
this version is sung by another part (Radamisto, contralto).
The range of Zenobia's role contains the highest note
in the opera, Bb'' , in her aria, "Fatemi, oh cieli, almen,"64
which is found only in the later version. Her entire range
extends from d' to Bb''. Polissena and Tigrane both have a
range of e' to a''. Radamisto's range is d' to alt and
Fraarte's range is e' to g''.
The best known aria in the opera is "Ombra cara,"65'
sung by Radamisto. According to Burney,66 it is regarded
as one of Handel's finest vocal compositions for a single
voice. The air, "Sposo ingrato,"67 for Polissena, is also
worthy of mention. In Radamisto this air was designated for
6 HCE, Vol. 63, p. 170. 65 Ibid., pp. 43, 143.
66 Burney, A General History _ fMusic, II, p. 702.
67HCE, Vol. 63, p. 90.
38
Margarita Durastanti68 and a large orchestra with solo parts
not only for the violin but for the oboe, bassoons and the
violoncellos. The words of this aria are omitted in the
later version.
In 1722, Radamisto was staged in Hamburg by Johann
Mattheson under the name of Zenobia after its heroine. A
German translation was used but the Italian arias were
retained.69
On March 23, 1721, the composition of Muzio Scevola
was completed and the first presentation of the opera took
place at Covent Garden Theater on April 15th of the same
year. The libretto was by Paola Rolli, Italian secretary
of the Royal Academy of Music.
Muzio Scevola was a drama that was chosen by the
Academy to be set by three composers: Filippo Mattei, a
violoncellist in the orchestra, was assigned the first act;
Giovanni Battista Bononcini, the second; and Handel, the
third. Handel tried diligently to establish pre-eminence
among his colleagues. This pasticcio was dedicated to the
King (George I) and the original score of Handel's portion
68Duranstanti, soprano, was renowned for her imper-sonations of male characters. (Herbert Weinstock, Handel,p. 93).
69 Brockway and Weinstock, The Operal p. 38, and AbdyWilliams, Handel, p. 75.
39
is still preserved in his Majesty's collection of this
great musician's manuscripts.70
The third act, Handel's portion, is similar to a
complete opera as it contains an overture and a final
chorus giving it a beginning, a middle and an end in the
manner of an entire drama.
From a total of seven roles, three are sung by the
soprano voice: Clelia, Orazio and Fidalma. There are ten
arias, four of which are sung by the sopranos: Clelia, two
arias; Orazio, one aria; and Fidalma, one aria. The opera
contains three recitatives with only one performed by a
soprano role (Clelia), and two duets each containing a
soprano role. Orazio sings the duet, "Vivo senza alma, oh
bella," 71 with Irene, an alto. Clelia sings the other duet,
'ya come amar?"7 2 with Muzio, a contralto.
The first air in the third act, "Lungo pensar,"7 3 has
a violin accompaniment of a different character from the
voice part and was composed for Durastanti who had the
principal female part (Clelia) in this opera. Her range in
this act extends from d' to g''. The duet, "Ma come amar?"
for the two principal characters, Duranstanti and Senesino,
singing the part of Muzio, is written in a fugue style
throughout the composition.
70HCE, Vol. 64, p. 1. 71Ibid., p. 51+.
72Ibid., p. 60. 73Ibid., p. 6.
The air, "Non ti fidar,"71 was composed for Anastasia
Robinson in the role of Fidalma. The oboes play all her
passages in unison which is proof that Handel did not con-
sider her a steady performer.75 This air seems to be the
least captivating in the whole act. Her range extends from
f' to Bb''. According to Burney,76 Robinson also sings the
following air, "Come, se ti vedro, cara, partir potro?"77
which is an aria for the role of Orazio, according to the
index of G. F. Handel's lerke (HCE). From this fact a con-
clusion can be drawn that Anastasia Robinson sang both
roles, Fidalma and Orazio. It was unusual for a leading
singer to sing two roles, but here it would have been
possible since each of the two roles has but one aria and
neither takes part in any ensemble.
Floridante was first performed on December 9, 1721, in
the opera theater of the Royal Academy of Music. The
libretto was written by Paolo Rolli.
From a total of six roles, this opera contains two
soprano roles: Timante and Rossane. There are a total of
thirty-one arias, fourteen of which are by sopranos:
Timante, five arias, and Rossane, nine arias. There are
4HCEVol. 61+, p. 29.
75Burney, A General Nistory of Music, II, p. 714.
76Ibid. 77HCE, Vol. 64, p. 33.
two duets, only one of which, "Fuor di periglio, " is sung
by both the sopranos. Two ariosos and two recitatives are
performed by other parts.
The role of Rossane has the common range from d' to a''.
In the duet, "Fuor di periglio," both Rossane and Timante
sing a'' as their highest note. This duet attempts to
express the cooing of the dove.79 Timante's range extends
one-half note higher to Bb''. Through an alteration made by
Handel, the revised aria, "Lasciate, oh bella il volto, 80
contains Timante's high Bb''. The Bb'' appears very fre-
quently in this version of the aria, making it more diffi-
cult than the original aria. The range of the original
aria is from f#' to g''.
On January 12, 1723, the Royal Academy of Music was
presented with the opera, Ottone, with a libretto by
Nicola Haym.
From a total of six roles, there are two soprano roles:
Teofane and Gismonda. There are forty arias, fourteen of
which are sung by the soprano voice: Teofane, nine arias,
and Gismonda, five arias. The opera contains two ariosos,
one sung by the soprano, Gismonda; three recitatives,
76HCE, Vol. 65, p. 65.
79Burney, A General History of Music, II, p. 719.
80HCE, Vol. 65, p. 46, and the revised aria, p. 130.
41
Teofane singing the only one for a soprano voice; and two
duets, both of which have a soprano role. Gismonda sings
the duet, "Notte cara,",8 1 with the contralto, Matilda, and
Teofane sings the other duet, "A' teneri affetti il cor s'
abbandoni, ,82 with the contralto, Ottone. The one arietta
in the opera is sung by another voice.
From examination of the musical score, the range of the
role of Teofane is d' to Bb''. Francesco Cuzzoni performed
the role. The range of Gismonda is c#' to g'' and was first
performed by Duranstanti.
The number of songs in this opera that became national
favorites is perhaps greater than in any other that was
ever performed in England. 8 3 The air, "Falsa. imagine,"
the first that Cuzzoni sang in England, "fixed her reputa-
tion as an expressive and pathetic singer," according to
Burney.85 The airs for Durastanti, "La speranza"86 and
"Penza ed amare,,,8 were favorites with all the performers
on the German (i.e. modern) flute in England which about
that time superseded the common flute (i.e. recorder) and
became the fashionable gentleman's instrument.
81HCE, Vol. 66, p. 78. 82Ibid., p. 118.
8 3Burney, A General Eistory of Music, II, p. 722.
84HjCE,Vol. 66, p. 22. 8 5Burney, U. cit., p. 722.
86HCE, Vol. 66, p. 17. 8 7 Ibid., p. 35-
The light and gay duet, "Teneri affetti,"88 sung by
Teofane and Ottone, was long a favorite with flute players.
This duet was written in what was at that time called the
"Lombardic style" (i.e. a rhythm with inverted dotting such
as an accented sixteenth note followed by a dotted eighth
note).
The composition of Flavio was finished on May 7, 1723.
It was first performed on May 14th of the same year in the
opera theater of the Royal Academy of iusic. The words were
written by Nicola Haym.
From a total of seven- roles, two are by the soprano
voice: Emilia and Vitige. There is a total of twenty-two
arias, eight of which are by sopranos: Emilia, five arias,
and Vitige, three arias. One arioso is sung by Vitige; one
duet between Emilia and another part, and one recitative by
Emilia.
Burney states that "the subject of the duet, "Deh
pardona,"8 9 is still new and graceful, though the divisions,
as usual in old music, have been long since worn out. "90 The
duet is sung by Emilia, performed by Margarita Duranstanti,
and the contralto role, Guido. The range of Emilia in the
duet extends from a' to f''. Her range in the entire opera
88HCE, Vol. 66, p. 118. 69HCE, Vol. 67, p. 79.
90Burney, A General History of Music, II, p. 724.
is from e' to b''. Vitige, performed by Cuzzoni, has a
range from d' to g''.
This opera is less renowned than many other of Handel's
dramatic compositions and there are no outstanding arias in
the opera.
Giulio Cesare9 1 was written near the end of the year
1723, and was first produced on February 20, 1724,92 in the
opera theater of the Royal Academy of Music. Nicola Haym
wrote the words.
From a total of eight roles, two are sung by the
soprano role: Sesto Pompeo and Cleopatra. There are
thirty-seven arias in the opera, thirteen of which are sung
by sopranos: Sesto, seven arias, and Cleopatra, six arias.
From the four recitatives, two are sung by Cleopatra.
There are two duets which are sung by a soprano and a con-
tralto. The duet, "Son nato a sospirar, e il dolce,"93 is
sung by Sesto and Cornelia, contralto. The other duet,
91This drama was dedicated to the Princess of Waleswho, in October 1727, became Queen Caroline. Her husbandsucceeded his father to the throne as George II. (CharlesBurney, A General History of Music, II, p. 725).
92According to Williams, Handel, p. 82, and Streat-field, Handel, p. 95, the date of the first production ofGiulio Cesare was Feb. 20, 1724; but, according to Dent inhis Handel, p. 70, the date was Feb. 14, 1724.
93 HCE, Vol. 68, p. 48.
"Carol piu amabile belta mai non,"t94 is sung by Cleopatra
and Cesare, contralto.
The air, "Svegliatevi nel core,"95 was first composed
for Durastanti in the role of Sesto, son of Cornelia, who
was the widow of Pompey (Gnaeus Pompeius). As mentioned
before, in footnote 68, p. 38, Durastanti was renowned for
her impersonations of male characters. In this aria Handel
has made use of octaves in the treble parts of the accom-
paniments. The role of Sesto has a range of c' to a''.
The air, "Se pieta,096 for Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt,
was written for Cuzzoni. This aria is preceded by a
symphony through which a chorus of conspirators is heard
at a distance. Her range in the opera extends from e' to
b''. The duet, "Caro piu amabile beta mai non, "97 con-
tains her only b''.
In 1725 Handel revised the opera and Francesco
Borosini replaced Durastanti. Because Borosini was a tenor,
this revision contained only one soprano role, Cleopatra.
In the appendix of G. F. Handel's Werke (HCE), pp. 143 and
154, there are two arias for Sesto in the tenor clef which
Handel revised for Borosini.
9 CE, Vol. 68, p. 128. 95Ibid., p. 17.
96Ibid., p. 83. 97Ibid., p. 128.
46
According to Lowenberg,98 Giulio Cesare and Rodelinda
were Handel's most successful operas.
On October 31, 1724, a new drama called Tamerlano was
presented in the theater of the Royal Academy of Music.
Nicola Haym dedicated this drama to the Duke of Rutland not
only because of his directorship in the Royal Academy of
Music, but also because as a nobleman he had rendered
himself a most intelligent judge of both the theory and
practice of the art of music.99 Handel wrote the music of
the opera in twenty days.
From a total of six roles, there are two soprano roles:
Asteria and Irene. There are thirty-two arias with only
eight sung by sopranos, four each by Asteria and Irene.
There are three recitatives, from a total of twelve, sung
by Cuzzoni, who has the role of Astoria. The arioso,
"Folle sei, se lo consenti,"1 00 sung by Asteria, is the
only one from a total of four sung by a soprano. Two duets,
from a total of three, include one soprano each. Asteria
sings the duet, "Vivo inte, mio caro bene," 101 with Andro-
nico, a contralto. Irene performs the other duet, "Vedro
chl un di si cangera,"1 02 with Tamerlano, an alto. The one
98Alfred Lowenberg, Annals of Opera 1597-194o, p. 77.
99Burney, A General History of Music, II, p. 729.
100HCE, Vol. 69, p. 116. 10 1Ibid., p. 102.
1021bid., p. 123.
4+7
trio in the opera, "Escoti i cor, saro contentatilO3 is
sung by Asteria, Tamerlano and Bajazet, a tenor.
The role of Irene was portrayed by Anna Dotti. Her
range extends from d' to g'' and Asteria's range is d'
to a''.
The composition of Rodelinda was completed on January
20, 1725, and on the thirteenth of February of that year it
was performed in the opera theater of the Royal Academy of
Music. The text was written by Antonia Salvi (first com-
posed by Giacomo Antonio Perti in 1710) and altered by
Nicola Haym.
There is only one soprano role in this opera from a
total of six roles; Rodelinda, which was performed by
Cuzzoni. Rodelinda sings nine arias from a total of thirty-
one and sings a part of both duets. The opera contains
three recitatives and one arioso none of which is by the
soprano role.
Rodelinda has a range of d' to Bb''. Her second aria,
"L' empio rigor del fato,1104 is the only aria that con-
tains her lowest note, d', and her highest note, Bb''. Her
only duet, "Io t' abbraccio, e piu che morte sapro,"l05 is
sung with Bertarido, a contralto.
103FCE, Vol. 69, p. 116.
10'+HCE, Vol. 70, p. 8.
1051bid.
A difference in emotions and feelings is felt in each
aria, which portrays in Rodelinda some special trait of
character. No repetitions are made, as Handel tried to
evade this in forming different representations of emo-
tions.106
Cuzzoni made such a sensation in the role of Rodelinda
that the brown silk dress embroidered with silver which she
wore became the fashionable custom for the rest of the
season.107
The composition of Scipione was completed March 2,
1726, and was produced as early as the twelfth of the same
month. The words are by Paolo Rolli.
According to the personnel of the opera, from a total
of seven roles, there are three soprano roles: Lucejo,
Berenice and Armira. To judge from the music itself, the
role of Lucejo is actually the role of a contralto as the
range extends from Bb to d'' and Senesino, a contralto,
sang the role. Thus there are really only two soprano
roles from a total of seven: Berenice and Armira.
The opera contains thirty-three arias, eleven of which
are sung by the sopranos: Berenice (nine) and Armira (two).
Berenice sings the only soprano arioso from a total of
106Hugo Leichtentritt, "Handel," The InternationalCyclopedia of Music and Musicians.
107 Abdy Williams, Handel, p. 84.
49
four. She also sings the only recitative for soprano from
a total of three recitatives.
On occasion of the opera's repetition in 1730, some
alterations and transpositions into other keys were re-
quired. The role of Armira was changed from a soprano to
an alto role. In the appendix of G. F. Handel's Werke
(HCE), page 124, the aria, "Libera chi non e i lacci del
suo pie,"108 for Armira is transposed into the alto clef.
The role of Berenice which has a range from d' to a'',
was written for Cuzzoni. Many of her arias have varied
accompaniments, such as: "Dolce auretti,"1 0 9 with only a
violoncello accompaniment and "Sciolio d' immorta fronte," 0
with three violins, two oboes, tenor, bassoon and bass.
The role of Armira, whichhas a range from e' to a'',
was written for Constantini who, according to Burney,ill
was considered a contralto yet, according to the musical
score, the role is for a soprano. If these arias have been
altered since the first production of the opera, it has not
been noted in either the introduction or appendix of G. F.
Handel's Werke (HCE).
The composition of Alessandro was completed on April
11, 1726, and was produced on the fifth of May in the same
108HCE, Vol. 71, p. 19. 10 9 Ibid., p. 23.
110Ibid., p. 63.
lllBurney, A General Fistory of Music, II, p. 734.
50
year at the Royal Academy of Music in the Haymarket Theater.
The words are by Paoli Rolli.
From a total of seven roles, two are sung by the
soprano role: Rossane and Lisaura. There are twenty-seven
arias, twelve of which are by the soprano voice: Rossane
(six) and Lisaura (six). From the six recitatives, four
are sung by Rossane and two by Lisaura. There are three
duets in which Rossane sings two and Lisaura two. The
duets, "Son d' Amore nella face calma,"11 2 both Rossane and
Lisaura sing; "Amar m' e forza ognor,ttll3 Lisaura sings
with Alessandro, a contralto; and "Se ve bellezza in me,
son bella," Rossane sings with Alessandro.
This opera is important because it is the first in
which Fasutina Bordoni, a famous mezzo-soprano, appeared in
the role of Rossane. She lived from 1693 to 1783, making
her home in Venice. In 1729 she became the wife of Johann
Adolph Hasse, a Venetian composer who lived from 1699 to
1738. Burney inserts a description of Faustina by an
excellent and unprejudiced judge, Quantz, who frequently
was present at the performance of this opera in London
during its first run in 1727.
Faustina had a mezzo-soprano voice, that was lessclear than penetrating. Her compass was only from Bflat to G; but after this time, she extended its
'1 2HCE, Vol. 72, p. 52. 1131bid., p. 125.
ll+Ibid., p. 126.
5l
limits downwards. She possessed what the Italianscall "un canter granito"; her execution was articulateand brilliant. She had a flint tongue for pronouncingwords rapidly and distinctly, and a flexible throatfor divisions, with so beautiful and quick a shakethat she could put it in motion upon short notice,just when she would.. The passages might be smooth, orby leaps, or consisting of iterations of the sametone, their execution was equally easy to her as toany instrument whatever. She was doubtless the firstwho introduced, with success, a swift repetition ofthe same tone. She sung adagios with great passionand expression, but was not equally successful, ifsuch deep sorrow were to be impressed on the hearer, asmight require dragging, sliding, or notes of synco-pation, and tempo rubato.
She had a very happy memory in arbitrary changesand embellishments, and a clear and quick judgment ingiving towards their full power and expression. Inher action she was very happy; and as she perfectlypossessed that flexibility of muscles and featureswhich constitutes face-playing, she succeeded equallywell in furious, amorous, and tender parts- in short,she was born for singing and for acting.1lW
Francesca Cuzzoni, who sang the role of Lisaura, lived
from 1700 to 1770. She displayed such unusual abilities
that it was difficult for the hearer to determine whether
she excelled most in slow or in rapid airs. According to
Quantz,116 Cuzzoni had a very clear, soprano voice which
displayed pure intonation and fine trills. She possessed
no warm feeling in her action and appeared less attractive
on the stage than Faustina. W. S. Rockstro cites the
following:
The general belief was that Faustina and Cuzzonieach received 2000 lbs. per annum; but one account saysthat Faustina received 2500 lbs. Hawkins tells us
115 Burney, A General History of Music, II, pp. 745-746.
116Ibid., p. 745.
52
that Cuzzoni had taken a solemn oath never to sing fora less sum than Faustina; and that the Directors,wishing, after a time, to dismiss her, offered her2000 guineas, and Faustina 2001, whereupon she retiredfrom her engagement. But the story is scarcely con-sistent with Inown facts."1?
Handel had the difficult task of writing for both
Faustina and Cuzzoni in such a manner as to favor neither at
the expense of the other. He caused them both to appear at
once in the recitative, "Che mirai,1118 for two voices in
which Rossane and Lisaura, the two mistresses of Alessandro,
expressed their love and jealousy. He managed that the
arias for each should be so suitable to their respective
excellences that each obtained equal applause, while in a
duet each voice had alternately the principal part.11 9
Faustina's first air, "Lusinghe piu care,"'20 ranging
from d' to g'', became a national favorite. Though there is
no dignity in the subject, it is light and airy. She dis-
played great neatness of execution and performed the air
with rapidity and precision which was uncommon at this
period. The second air, "Un lusinghiero,"J 21 with a range
of e' to g#'', has several passages which were used by
117W. S. Rockstro, Handel, p. 146.
l1 8HCE, Vol. 72, p. 15.
119Abdy Williams, Handel, p. 90.
120HCE, Vol. 72, p. 20. 121Ibid., p. 41.
53
other composers many years later.122 The words in the aria,
"Alla sua gabbia d' oro,1 23 are ingeniously expressed both
in the voice part and in the accompaniment. The rangecf
the air is from d' to f#'' and contains many difficult
trills. In the aria, "Brilla nell alma un non inteso
ancor,,n1214 also for Faustina, the divisions are long and
rapid, and there is a quiet pulsative accompaniment.
Faustina's range in the whole opera extends from c' to ab''.
Cuzzoni's range in the opera extends from d' to Bb'
which is one note higher than Faustina's. The air, "L' amor
che per te sento,,,12 5 for Cuzzoni, has parts where there is
no accompanying bass.
The duet, "Son d' Amore nella face calma,"126 is sung
by both Faustina and Cuzzoni with equal ranges from g' to
g''. The last air of the opera, "All' amista fedel," 127
Alessandro first sings with Cuzzoni, then with Faustina in
a duet, and with both afterwards as a trio. This is Handel's
only opera that ends in such a manner. The others usually
end with an ensemble which includes all the singers.
122Burney, A General Fistory of Music, II, p. 740.
123HCE, Vol. 72, p. 78. 124Ibid., p. 102.
,7Vol. 72, p. 110. 126 Ibid., p. 52.
127bid.p. 129.
5"4
Admeto was first produced at Covent Garden Theater on
Tuesday, January 31, 1727. The writer of the libretto is
unknown.
Alceste and Antigona represent the two soprano roles
in the opera from a total of seven roles. There are twenty-
nine arias, fourteen of which are sung by the sopranos:
Alceste (seven) and Antigona (seven). Antigona sings the
only recitative for soprano from a total of four. She also
sings the one duet, "Dolce ristoro,ttl28 with Admeto, a con-
tralto. The two ariosos are sung by another role.
The role of Aleeste, which has a range from eb' to g#'',
was written for Faustina, and the role of Antigona, which has
a range from d' to a'', was written for Cuzzoni. The air,
"E per monti e per piano e per selve," 129 for Antigona had
few divisions, but frequent opportunities for the display of
her fine trills, for which Cuzzoni became renowned. Another
air for Antigona, "E che ci posso far, se non ti posso
amar,"130 has a passage in which the bass runs through the
whole movement in a masterly manner without impoverishing
the voice part. The duet,which is sung by Antigona and a
contralto, Admeto, is written on a theme which begins with
violins in unison and is afterwards repeated by the bass
and other instruments alternately, while the voice parts
128FCEI, Vol. 73, p. 111. 1291bid., p. 57.
1301bid., p. 106.
5~5
have traits of beautiful melody totally different from the
subject of the accompaniment.
The aria, "Gelosia, spietate Aletto,ta31 makes use of
long and rapid. divisions for great execution yet the air,
"Quanto godra,tt132 gave little opportunity for the display
of Faustina's neat and articulate execution as the divisions
were given more to the instruments than to the voice. The
air, "La dove gli occhi io giro,",133 is another aria which
displays Faustina's fine execution which by present stand-
ards would be considered mediocre, but in the year 1727 it
was imaginedto be supernatural.
The opera Riccardo or Richard Coeur de Lion (Richard
the Lion-hearted), was completed May 16, 1727, and was first
performed in the Haymarket Theater on the eleventh of
November of the same year. The words were written by Paolo
Rolli. The drama was dedicated in an Italian sonnet by the
poet to the new king, George II.13
From a total of six roles, there are two soprano
roles: Costanza and Pulcheria. There are a total of
twenty-seven arias, fourteen of which are sung by the
soprano role: Costanza, eight, and Pulcheria, six. Three
131HCE,Vol. 73, p. 57. 1321bid., p. 49.
1331bid., p. 102.
134purney,A General history of Music, II, p. 751.
56
of the five recitatives are performed by a soprano voice:
Costanza, two, and Pulcheria, one. Costanza sings both of
the soprano ariosos from a total of four. The only duet,
"T' amo, si e piu m' appage,l3 5 is sung by Costanza and
Riccardo, a contralto.
The role of Costanza, whose range extends from e' to
a'', was sung by Cuzzoni, and Faustina was selected to
assume the role of Pucheria, her sister, whose range was
from d' to a''.
Faustina's first aria, "Vado per obedirti,tt136
exhibited fine execution of her brilliant voice. The note
e' was a remarkably powerful note in her voice and we find
most of her principal songs in sharp keys where that note
frequently occurred.137 Faustina's second air in this act,
"Belle teco,"t138 has the time only of andante, but afforded
opportunities to manifest fine trills.139 Per last aria in
the opera, "Quando non veda la cara madre, 140 contains
many trills end difficult divisions which display the com-
poser's genius as well as the performer's fine execution.
135'HCE, Vol. 74, p. 72. 136 Ibid., p. 13.
137Burney, p. cit.,-p. 751 (footnote o).
138HCE, Vol. 74, p. 22.
139Burney, _2. cit., p. 752.
140HCE, Vol. 74, p. 125.
5.7
Cuzzoni sang an aria, "Caro vieni a me fido viene,114 l
in which she captivated her audience by her fine execution.
This song could be presented in modern times by a good
singer and good orchestra.142 The aria, "Il volo cosi fido
al dolce amato nido,,1+3 also for Cuzzoni, is accompanied
by a German flute, which is unusual orchestration for
Handel. Although the accompaniment of the aria, "Bacia per
me la mano,11+4+ has a bass, violins and tenor constantly
employed throughout; the melody of the voice part is never
disturbed but is uniformly clear from the beginning to the
end.145
Siroe, the composition of which was completed on the
fifth of February, 1728, was first performed at the May-
market Theater on the seventeenth of the same month. The
libretto is by Pietro Metastasio with occasional alterations
made by Nicola .Faym for the London stage.
According to the personnel in G. F. Handel's Werke
(HCE) there are three sopranos: Siroe, Emira and Laodice,
but from the observance of the score the role of Siroe is a
contralto role and, according to Burney,146 it was sung by
141Ibid., p. 49.
142Burney, A General History of Music, II, p. 752.
143HCE, Vol. 74, p. 110. 144Ibid., p. 98.
145Blurney, op L. i., p. 753. 1461bid.
58
Senesino, a contralto. Thus there are two soprano roles,
Emira and Laodice, from a total of seven roles. There is a
total of twenty-four arias, exactly half of which are sung
by the sopranos: Emira, six, and Laodice, six. The one
arioso and recitative in the opera is sung by the con-
tralto role.
The role of Emira was sung by Faustina whose range in
this opera was from d#' to a''. The air, "Vedeste mai,"Il 7
is one that requires brilliant execution by the singer
which was properly exhibited by Faustina.l48 "Non vi
piacque,"11 9 is another aria that conveyed an idea of her
virtuosity.
The role of Laodice was performed by Cuzzoni whose
range extended from eb' to a'' in this opera. The air, "Se
il caro figlio,"'50 for Cuzzoni, is a graceful air and was
among the favorite songs of that singer; but the aria,
"Torrente cresciuto, 1 5 1 for the same singer, is "perhaps
the most elegant, fanciful and pleasing of all Handel's
dramatic songs of the bravura kind."152 The aria, "L' aura
11+7HCE, Vol. 75, p. 30.
1 4 8 Burney, A General History of Music, II, p. 754.
l49HCE, Vol. 75, p. 67. 15 0Ibid., p. 72.
15Ibid-, p. 93. 152Burney,_ p_. cit_., p. 755.
59
non sempre,"'15 3 is a light and gay aria but unmarked by
any distinct expression.
The composition of Tolomeo was completed April 19,
1728, and the thirtieth of the same month was the first
performance. It was the last of the series of operas
written for the Royal Academy of Music which had been
founded in 1720. The words were composed by Nicola Haym.
From a total of five roles, there are two soprano
roles: Seleuce and Elisa. Thirteen of the twenty-three
arias are given to the soprano voice: Seleuce (seven) and
Elisa (six). From a total of three ariosos, Elisa sings
the only soprano arioso, "Voi dolci aurette alcor
mostrate. "l1 Seleuce sings a part in both the two duets
in the opera. She sings the duets, "Se il cor ti perde"155
and "Tutto contento or godo quest,t15 6 both with Tolomeo, a
contralto. The three recitatives in the opera are per-
formed by another role.
The role of Seleuce was sung by Cuzzoni and has a
range from e' to a'l. Her aria, "Fonti arniche,"15 7 is an
elaborate composition in seven parts for which the composer
and performer should receive equal credit. The aria, "Dite
che fa?"1 5 8 also for Cuzzoni, was called the echo song, as
1 5 3 HCE, Vol. 75, p. 65. 15+Ibid., p. 31.
155%bid., p. 54. 1 5 61bid., p. 81.
157Ib.d.., p. 24. 158Ibid. , p. 46.
60
several of the passages were repeated by Tolomeo behind the
scenes. The aria, "To vo di duolo in duolo," 159 found in
the appendix of G. F. Handel's Werke (HCE) was sung at a
later date in Giulio Cesare and was afterwards inserted
in this opera.
The role of Elisa was sung by Faustina and has a range
from d' to g#''. Her aria, "Quanto e felice,"1 60 though not
rapid, was written to display her peculiar talent of precise
execution. Also her aria, "Ti pentirai, l 6l is known to
have exhibited this fine talent.162
The opera, Lotario, was finished November 16, 1729, and
brought out in London as early as the following second of
December. The words are founded on an older Venetian
libretto by Matteo Noris.163
This opera includes only one soprano role, Adelaide,
out of six roles. It has twenty-five arias with only five
sung by the soprano; four recitatives with two by the
soprano; one dv'et which is sung by Adelaide and Lotario, a
contralto; and two ariosos, neither of which was given to
the soprano role. The range of the soprano part is from
c' to Bb''
l59Ibid., p. 90. 160lbid., p. 34. l6lIbid., p 6 8 .
162Burney, A General History of Music, II, p. 758.
163According to Burney (p. 760), the text is fromYatteo Noris', Berengario, but, according to Lowenberg, thetext was altered from Antonio Salvio's Adelaide.
61
The role of Adelaide was sung by Anna Strada del Po'.
She was a new prime donna and had many prejudices to combat
on her arrival in England. Cuzzoni and Faustina were in
high public favor as singers but were jealous of any new
arrival. Even though Strada's personal appearance was
unattractive, she gradually sang herself into favor,
particularly with the friends of Handel.
The aria, "Quel cor che me donasti,,l164 the first that
Strada ever sang on the English stage, seems chiefly calcu-
lated to display her talents. In the aria, "Scherza in mar
la navicella,,,16 5 Handel has given her many of his favorite
divisions. The orchestra gives a full accompaniment in the
ariawhichseems to lose some of its original spirit by being
transposed from a#, in which it was composed, to G.166
Strada's aria, "Von sempre invendicata io resitro cosi,tt1 67
portrays infinite spirit and affords great opportunity for
action as well as singing. There are fewer arias on
masterly subjects than some of the preceding operas; there-
fore this opera was not well favored throughout the nation.168
Partenope, completed on the twelfth of February, 1730,
was produced on the twenty-fourth of the same month at the
16 +HCE, Vol. 77, p. 30. 1 6 5 Ibid., p. 1+6.
166Burney, A General History of Music, II, p. 762,footnote b.
167HCE, Vol. 77, p. 90. 168Burney, op. it., p. 764.
62
Haymarket Theater. The libretto was written by Silvio
Stampiglia and was first published at Naples in 1699.
The later performance of this opera in 1737 by new
companies occasioned many alterations. The most important
alteration changed the role of Arminda from contralto to
soprano.
Considering the original version first, the role of
Partenope was the only soprano role from a total of six
roles. From a total of twenty-nine arias, she sings seven;
from three ariosos, she sings one, "Cara mura"; 169 the only
trio and only quartet includes one soprano part; the two
recitatives are by another role. Partenope sings a duet
with Arsace, a contralto. This duet, "Ed io per to,"1 70 is
a recitative sung alternately between the two parts and has a
bass accompaniment. Partenope's range in the opera extends
from e' through a'' and was performed by Strada.
Partenope's first aria, in the opera, "L' amor ed il
destin," 171 contains passages of execution of a kind that
required a flexibility and agility of the voice superior to
any difficulties which this singer encountered in Lotario.
The aria, "Voglio amare," 172 has a bass which moves in quiet,
iterated notes, while the other instruments carry on a sub-
ject different from the principal melody by the voice.
169HCE, Vol. 78, p. 63. 170Ibid., p. 30.
171HCE, Vol. 78, p. 10. 1721bid., p. 65.
63
Arminda in the 1737 production sings two arias and a
part in the quartet. From a total of the twenty-nine arias,
nine instead of seven were sung by the soprano voice. From
observance of Arminda's two arias, her range in this version
extends from e' to a''.
The opera Poro was finished on January 16, 1731, and
was produced at the Haymarket Theater on the following
second of February.
On the reproduction of the opera in 1736, four airs
were inserted, only one of which was a soprano aria, "Come
il candore d' intalle neve." 7 3
The opera includes only one soprano role, Cleofide, from
a total of six roles. There are twenty-six arias with only
five given to the soprano voice; two ariosos, one of which is
sung by the soprano; three duets, all of which include a
soprano part.
The role of Cleofide was performed by Strada. Her range
in this opera extended from eb' to a''. One of her airs,
"Se il ciel mi divide,"174 had a solo violin accompaniment
by Pietro Castrucci, the first violinist of the opera house
at that time. The air, "Se troppo crede,",7 5' also for
Strada, is an andante in a minor key, with a second part in
a major key which is much more pleasing than the first.
173HCE, Vol. 79, p. 115. 171+Ibid.
1 7 5Ibid., p. 71.
64
The duet, "Se mai turbo,1l76 which Cleofide sings with Poro,
expresses their love for each other. Cleofide's only
arioso, "Spirito amato,"tl77 is written on a short ground-
bass of one bar only, while the melody is free in style.
The last air of the opera, "Caro vieni,tl7 8 was first sung
in dialogue by Poro and Cleofide, afterwards in a duet, and
finally in chorus. The duet is sixteen measures in length,
is in 3/8 time and has a range for Cleofide of a#' to g''.
The air had such a pleasing melody that it soon became a
national favorite.179
The opera, Exo., was first produced at the Haymarket
Theater on January l5, 1732. The words were written by
Pietro Metastasio.
This opera includes only one soprano role, Fulvia,
from a total of six roles. Fulvia sings five arias out of
twenty-nine, and two recitatives from a total of four. Her
range in the opera extends from eb' to a''.
Fulvia's aria, "Finche un zeffiro,tf180 performed by
Strada, has a full accompaniment and is a dramatic aria.
Her air, "Quel fingere affetto,"18 1 has an accompaniment
176HCE, Vol. 79, p. 34. 1771bid., p. 94.
17 8Ibid., p. 96.
179Burney, A General History of Music, II, p. 770.
180HCE, Vol. 80, p. 38. I8lIbid., p. 56.
65
which makes much use of triplets. Fulvia sings two accom-
panied recitatives, "Che fo? dove mi volgo, 182 and
"Nisera, dove son.11 83 In the first recitative, the words
express the feelings of the composer. Fulvia's last aria,
"Sulle sponde di cocito,"184 is a very short and easy aria
with a range from g' to g''. This opera, with all its
musical merit, was presented ohly five times.l 85
On February 4, 1732, Handel completed the composition
of the opera Sosarme which was immediately produced at the
Haymarket Theater on the nineteenth of the same month. The
libretto was written by Matteo Noris who was also the
librettist for Handel's Lotario (1729). This same libretto
had been produced under the name of Alfonso Primo on the
stage of San Sabratore in 1694 and set to music by Orazio
Pollaroli.186
This opera is Handel's fifth in succession to have
only one soprano role. The opera includes twenty-one
arias, five of which are sung by Elmira, the soprano; two
duets, each including a soprano part; two recitatives by
another part; and one arioso which is sung by Elmira.
182HCE, Vol. 80, p. 52. 183Ibid., p. 56.
18 4Ibid, p. 114.
185Burney, A General History of Music, II, p. 772.
18 6 HCE, Vol. 80, p. 1.
66
The only soprano role (Elmira) of the opera was sung
by Strada, her fifth successive role in Handel's operas.
Her aria, "Dide pace,"Il8 7 contains difficult divisions in
which her powers of voice and execution were displayed.
Also, the only arioso, "Padre, germano, e sposo,1 ex-
hibited her fine execution. Both of the duets of the opera
are sung by Elmira and Sosarme, a contralto. Their last
duet, "Tu caro sei il dolce mio tesorot1 89 became a general
favorite.190
Though Sosarme contains fewer great airs than several
of Handel's earlier operas, it does rank among his most
pleasing theatrical productions.191
January 23, 1733, Handel produced a new opera called
Orlando. Burney says that it was originally written by
G. Braccioli in 1713 for Venice and set to music by Alberto
Ristori. It was afterwards set by many different masters,
particularly by Orazio Pollaroli in 1725, and in 1727 by
Vivaldi for Venice; but the music to which it was performed
in London was composed entirely by Handel and finished,
according to his own memorandum, on rNovember 20, 1732.192
18 7HCE, Vol. 81, p. 38. 188Ibid., p. 42.
189Ibid.,p. 102.
190Burney, A General History of Music, II, p. 775.
1 9 11bid. 1921bid., p. 777.
67
From a total of five roles, Orlando contains two
soprano roles: Angelica and Dorinda. There are nineteen
arias, eight of which are sung by the sopranos, four by
each; nine recitatives, one of which is sung by Dorinda;
six ariosos, three by the sopranos, Dorinda two and
Angelica one; one terzetto, containing two soprano parts;
and one duet containing one part for Angelica.
Dorinda's first aria, "Quanto diletto,"193 sung by
Celeste, is the only soprano recitative in the opera. It
is accompanied by two violins, a viola and a bass. Her
aria, "Fo un certo rossore,1l94 is an aria da capo in
three-part harmony (tutti unison, bass and voice).
Angelica's arias, "Se fedel vuoi ch' io ti creda"19 5
and "Ritornava al suo bel viso,1W196 are accompanied by two
violins, a viola and a bass. In the latter aria, a solo
violin makes dp the missing fifth voice in the harmony when
the voice part is omitted in sections. The one duet in the
opera, "Finche prendi,"197 is sung by Angelica, performed
by Strada and Orlando, a contralto. This duet is chiefly
in dialogue upon a constantly moving bass and is considered
by Burney to be a very masterly composition.198
193Hc, Vol. 82, p. 17. 191+Ibid., p. 20.
195Ibid., p. 32 196 Ibid., p. 22.
197Ibid., p. 93.
l98TBurney, A General History of Music, II, p. 779.
68
The composition of Arianna was completed in October,
1733, and performed January 26, 1734. The libretto was by
Francis Coleman.
From a total of seven roles, two are sung by the
soprano role: Arianna and Alceste. There is a total of
twenty-five arias, nine of which are sung by the sopranos:
Arianna, five, and Alceste, four; two duets, both containing
a part for Arianna and Teseo, a contralto; and one arioso
and two recitatives sung by another role.
The role of Arianna, ranging from eb' to Bb"', was
performed by Strada. According to Burney,199 her aria, "Se
nel bosco,"200 "has been printed with only a single violin
accompaniment but in the original manuscript there are
parts for a second violin and tenor which are very important
to the harmony and effects."
The role of Alceste, ranging from d' to a'', was sung
by Carlo Scalzi. In this opera Scalzi was considered a
singer of the second class but, according to Burney,20 1
afterwards he became a first-class singer. Scalzi's aria,
"Son qual stanco pelligrino,"202 has a fine solo part for
1993urney, A General Eistory of Pusic, IT, p. 785(footnote o).
200HCE, Vol. 83, p. 82.
201Burney, or. L ., p. 784 (footnote k).
202H1CE, Vol. 83, p. 73.
69
the violoncello which was intended to display the abilities
of Caporale, the new violoncellist in the opera orchestra.2 03
Handel evidently exerted his powers of invention and
abilities in varying the accompaniments throughout this
opera with more vigor than in any former drama since the
dissolution of the Royal Academy of 1Music in 1728.
The opera Ariodante was first performed January 8, 1735.
The libretto was originally written by Antonio Salvi and
set by Carlo Pollaroli for Venice.
From a total of seven roles there are three soprano
roles: Genevra, performed by Strada; Lurcanio, by John
Beard, an English castrato; and Dalinda, by Cecilia Young
Arne, wife of Thomas Arne, the composer. Burney seems to
think that the role of Dalinda was intended for another
singer since it was written for a contralto voice in
H'ncel's original score and Arne was a high soprano.204 Nor,
according to Burney,205 was the role of Lurcania originally
composed for Beard.
There are a total of twenty-five arias, twelve of which
are sung by the soprano roles: Genevra, six; Lurcania,
three, and Dalinda, three. From the five ariosos, two are
sung by the soprano, Genevra. The opera includes four
2 0 3 Burney, A General Pistory of Music, II, p. 784.
204.Ibid., p. 793. 205Ibid., p. 794.
70
duets, three of which are sung by Genevra and Ariodante, a
contralto, anCl the dret, "Spera, spera o gia mi pento,,t20 6
is sung by Dalinda and Lurcanio, both sopranos. Genevra
sings "A me impudica,,207 which is the only recitative in
the opera.
With a range extending from d' to a'', Beard, in the
character of Lurcanio, sings the aria, "Tu vive,t1208 which
was well written "for a singer and actor of spirit."209
The first bar in the aria is frequently introduced in the
accompaniments as a subject of fugue and imitation.
Another aria that requires energy and fire by the singer is
Lurcanio's aria, "Il tuo sangue." 210 It is extremely long,
containing one hundred and thirty-six measures.
The role of Dalinda has a range from e' to Bb''. The
range in her only duet, "Spera, spera io gia mi pento, 211
which was performed chiefly in dialogue with Lurcanio,
extends from e' to a'', while Lurcanio's range lies only
from e' to f#''.
G. F. Handel's Werke (lCE) gives the original arias for
Dalinda in the alto clef and the altered version arias for
Arne in the treble clef.
2O6HCE, Vol. 85, p. 120. 20 71bid., p. 92.
20 8Ibid., p. 67.
209Burney, A General Pistory of Music, II, p. 294-.
21 0HCE, Vol. 85, p. 87. 211 1bid., p. 120.
71
Genevra, the heroine of the opera, sings the aria,
"Il mio crudel martoro,"212 by which she is lulled to sleep;
during her sleep there is a dance, the music of which is
sketched. out in Handel's original score, after which the
second act ends. Her aria, "Si morro,"21 3 begins with a
slow tempo but changes to a quick tempo in the second
movement. It has a solo part for four violins and for the
violoncello. In Act IIIwhere the heroine is in prison, an
arioso, "Manca, oh Dei!"i214 begins but is interrupted at
the fourth bar by a symphony of horns, oboes, violins and
bass. The short arioso is accompanied by two violins, one
viola and one bass.
The composition of the opera, Alcina, was finished on
April 8, 1735, and first produced at Covent Garden Theater
on the sixteenth of the same month. The libretto was
originally written by Antonio Mrchi and set to music by
Tommaso Albinoni in 1725 in Venice.215
From a total of seven roles four are performed by the
soprano roles: Alcina, seven; Ruggiero, six; Morgago,
three, and Oberto, two arias. The role of Ruggiero sings
both the ariosos and Alcina sings the only recitative in
the opera. The trio is sung by Ruggiero, Alcina and Brda-
mante, an alto.
212HCE, Vol. 85, p. 93. 213Ibid., p. 11.
214Ibid., p. 125. 215Burney, OP. cit., p. 796.
72
The role of Alcina, with a range from d' to Bb'', was
portrayed by Strada. Strada's second air, "Si; son
quella,t1216 has a continuo accompaniment but the full
orchestra was inserted for nine measures beginning with
measure forty-four, then the continue alone was resumed to
the end of the aria. The only recitative, "Ah! Ruggiero
crudel,"2 17 also sung by Alcina, has an accompaniment of
strings and continue through the seventeenth measure. From
the seventeenth through the twentieth measure no accompani-
ment was used, not even the bass. After the twentieth
measure the original accompaniment was resumed.
Giovanni Carestini, a castrato, portrayed the role of
Ruggiero, whose range extended from b to a''. In his first
aria, "Di te mi rido, semplice stolto,t,218 Handel makes
much use of triplets and uses the piano in the accompani-
ment. In the arioso, "La bocca vaga,"219 also for Ruggiero,
Handel uses an original accompaniment of one violin, piano
and the bass. The aria, "Verdi prati,"220 is one of
Handel's best known arias today and is found in several
21 6HCE, Vol. 86, p. 43. 217Ibid., p. 98.
21 8Ibid., p. 22. 219Ibid., p. 46.
2201bid., p. 94. Carestini considered "Verdi prati"not good enough for him. He sent it back to Handel butafter a typical Handelian rejoinder the singer withdrew hisobjection to the air. (Burney, A General Fistory 2f Music,II, p. 797, footnote *).
73
famous collections of songs.221 The ranges of the two
sopranos, Alcina and Ruggiero, in the trio, "Non e amor, ne
gelosia," 222 differ as Alcina's range extends much higher
than Ruggiero, Her range is from f' to Bb'', while
Ruggiero's is only from d' to eb''.
The role of Morgano was sung by Cecilia Young Arne,
whose range in her three arias extended from e' to b''.
Oberto's role was performed by William Savage.223 His
range in his two arias extends from e' to aII.
The composition of the opera, Atalanta, was concluded
on April 22, 1736. It was produced on the twelfth of May
of the year 1736 in honor of the marriage of the Prince of
Wales (Frederic Louis, father of George III and son of
George II) with the Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, and
some of the scenes near the end of the opera pay homage to
the Royal pair.224
From a total of six roles there are two soprano roles:
Atalanta and Meleagro. There are seventeen arias, nine of
which are sung by the sopranos: Atalanta, four, and
Meleagro, five. From the two ariosos in the opera, two are
221Knud Jeppesen, editor, La Flora I, p. 134.
2 2 2 HCE, Vol. 86, p. 140.
223Referred to as "the boy" in Handel's original
score (G. F. Handel's Werke (HCE), p. 1).
224ICE, Vol. 87, introduction.
sung by Atalanta and the other, "Care selvet22 5 by
Meleagro. The two duets are both performed by Atalanta and
Meleagro.
The role of Meleagro was performed by Conti, usually
called Gizziello.226 His range in the duet, "Oh Dei, che
vuoi Taci,"227 with Atalanta, was e' to a'. The other
duet, "Caro, nel tuo bel labbra,t?228 which he also sings
with Atalanta, has a range for Meleagro from e' to Bb''
which is six semitones higher than his range in the first
duet. Atalanta's range inthis duet extends from g' to Bb''
which is no higher than Meleagro's range. The arioso,
"Custodite, o dolce sogni, del mio ben,"229 was written for
Strada portraying the role of Atalanta. This aria had no
other accompaniment than a violoncello.
The opera Arminio was completed on October 3, 1736,
and first performed at Covent Garden on January 12, 1737.
The libretto was written by Antonio Salvi.
From a total of seven there are two soprano roles:
Tusnelda and Sigismondo. There are twenty-four arias, ten
22 5HCE, Vol. 87, p. 8.
226Conti was the first important castrato high sopranofor whom Handel composed. (Weinstock, Handel, p. 202, andBurney, A General History of Music, II,Yp l1).
2 2 7 HCE, Vol. 87, p. 37. 228Ibid., p. 75.
2 2 9 1bid., p. 68.
75
of which are sung by the sopranos: Tusnelda,. five, and
Sigismondo, five. The two ariosos are both sung by
Tusnelda. Tusnelda also sings a part in all three duets
in the opera. The only recitative is sung by another role.
The role of Tusnelda, whose range extends from eb' to
Bb'', was sung by Strada. She sings two of her duets with
Arminio, a contralto, and her third duet, "Quando piu
minaccia il Cielo,"23 0 with Ramise, an alto. Her range in
this duet is higher than in the other two; her highest note
is Bb''. Her last aria, "Va, combatti ancor da forte," 231
had, according to Burney, "original passages and peculiar
difficulties of execution." 23 2
Conti sings the role of Sigismondo whose range extends
from d' to c''', which is the highest range for a soprano
role since Handel's first opera Almira. The aria, "Quella
fiamma, 233 is Conti's only aria which contains the high c.
This aria was accompanied on the oboe by Padre Giambattista
Martini.234
The opera, Ginstino, was composed in the period from
August 29 to October 20, 1736, and first produced on
230HCE, Vol. 89, p. 77. 231Ibid., p. 89.
232 Burney, A General Fistory of Music, II, p. 806.
2 3 3 HCE, Vol. 89, p. 52.
234urney, on. cit.., p. 805.
76
February 16, 1737, at Covent Garden Theater. The libretto
was written in Venice in 1683 by Nicolo Beregani.235
Front a total of nine roles there are two sopranos:
Anastasio and Arianna. There are twenty-four arias, nine
of which are sung by the soprano roles: Anastasio, four,
and Arianna, five. Anastasio sings the only soprano arioso,
"Verdi lauri, cingetimi il crine,t236 from a total of four.
The only duet, "Mia dolce spene,"237 is sung by Anastasio
and Arianna.
The role of Anastasio, which has a range from c' to
a'', was sung by Conti. Strada performed the role of
Arianna, whose range extends from d' to a''. In their auet,
"Mia dolce spene," Arianna sings the highest note, which is
Bb''. Anastasio's highest note in the duet is a''. This
duet would have been more pleasing if Handel had not re-
peated the first bar so often. Arianna's aria, "Quel
torrente,,,238 appears to have been written for the display
of trada's powers of execution. The aria includes many
difficult divisions.
From a total of seven roles, two are sung by the
sopranos: Berenice and Alessandro. There are twenty-four
arias, nine of which are by the soprano roles: Berenice,
six, and Alessandro, three. Alessandro sings the only
235 HCE, Vol. 88, introduction. 2361bid., p. 73.
237Ibid., p. 66 238Ibid., p. 80.
77
soprano arioso, "Mjio bel sol, dove t' aggire?tf239 from a
total of three. All three of the duets include a soprano
role. Berenice sings the duet, "Se il mio amor fu il
tuo,w,240 with Dimetrio, an alto, and the duet, "Quella fede,
quel volto,241 with Alessandro, the other soprano.
Alessandro sings the other duet, "Le dirai,'242 with Arsage,
an alto. The only recitative in the opera is sung by
another role.
The role of Berenice, whose range extends from d' to
Bbff ,was sung by Strada. Her aria, "Chi t' intende,It243
has a solo part for the oboe. This air is of two charac-
ters: it begins slow, then changes to an allegro. Her
range in her duet with Alessandro extends from g#' to a'',
while Alessandro's is only from e' to f#''.
Conti portrayed the role of Alessandro, whose range
extends from c#' to a''. His outstanding aria, "Che
sara,"241+ has an unusual leap of a ninth in the voice part
to the words, "Se mentre disprezza." His duet with Arsage
is the shortest duet of the three, his part consisting of
twelve measures.
2394CE ,Vol. 90, p. 49. 24OIbid., p. 32.
241Ibid., p. 92. 24 2Ibid., p. 84.
243Ibid., p. 75. 244Ibid., p. 10.
78
On January 7, 1738, Heidegger's opera house in the
Haymarket was opened with Faramondo. The words are by
Apostolo Zeno, but considerably altered.245
From a total of seven roles there are four soprano
roles: Faramondo, mezzo-soprano, Clotilde, Rosimonda,
mezzo-soprano, and Adolfo. This is Handel's first opera
in which he uses two mezzo-sopranos, one of which is a
castrato. There are twenty-two arias, fifteen of which are
sung by the sopranos: Faramondo, four; Clotilde, four;
Rosimonda, four, and Adolfo, three arias. Faramondo sings
the only arietta, "Si, tornero a morir, a non placarti.tI246
Both the duets are sung by sopranos only. Faramondo and
Rosimonda sing the duet, "Vado e vivo con la speranza,u247
and Clotilde and Adolfo sing the other duet, "Cara, tu mi
accendi nel mio core dolce fiamma.t1248 Faramondo sings the
aria, "Virtue che rende,n2+9 which precedes the final chorus
of the opera. The only recitative is sung by another role.
The role of Faramondo, mezzo-soprano, whose range
extends from b to g'', was sung by Geetano Majorano, a
castrato, called Caffarelli. He had gained considerable
reputation in several theaters of Italy before his arrival
245HCE, Vol. 91, p. 1. 24 6 Ibid., p. 33.
2471bid., p. 80. 2481bid., p. 86.
24 91bid., p. 118.
79
in England. His first public appearance was in a female
role in the opera Valdemaro in Rome in 1726.2 O In
Faramondo he portrays the hero of the drama and in the
course of the aria, "Rival ti sono,ti2 51 it is marked "ad
libitum" several times, a compliment which Handel never
paid to an ordinary singer. In his duet with Rosimonda his
range is exactly the same as hers, d' to g''. His air,
"Voglio che sia,11252 contains contrasted passages that
calls for a voice of great volume, a requirement evidently
fulfilled by Caffarelli.
The role of Rosimonda, the other mezzo-soprano, whose
range extends from b to f'', was sung by Maria Antonia
Marchesini, called Lucchesini. The air, "Si 1' intendesti,n25
sung by Rosimonda, the principal female role, was her best
known aria in this opera. According to gurney, her aria,
"Sappi crudel,1254
though for the first woman A1.e. principal femalerolj7 might have been sung by the last, withoutsuffering for want of voice or execution. The com-position is clear and masterly but there is nopassion in the melody, or interesting effect in theharmony or modulation.2 5
2 5 0Burney, A General History of Music, II, p. 818.
251HCE, Vol. 91, p. 23. 25 2Ibid., p. 90.
25 3Ibid., p. 51. 25+Ibid., p. 106.
255Burney, o)_. ct., p. 820.
80
The role of Clotilde, whose range extends from eb' to
Bb', the highest range in the entire opera, was portrayed
by Elizabeth du Parc, referred to as Francesina. In her
aria, "Un' aura placida,2 5 6 Francesina displayed her
lark-like execution.25 7 Her range in the duet with Adolfo
extends much higher (five semitones) than his, which lies
from d' to e''. Her aria, "Combattuta da due venti,t,25 8 is
an extremely long aria of two hundred and four measures.
The last soprano role, Adolfo, whose range extends
from c#' to gt ', was sung by Margarita Chimenti. This role
contained no outstanding arias.
The opera Serse was first performed April 15, 1738.
The first performance in America was May 13, 1928, given by
the music department of Smith College, Northampton, Massa-
chusetts. Bayard Quincy Morgan had made a clear English
translation of the text, Werner Josten directed and the
part of Serse was entrusted to the tenor, Charles Kullman,
and that of Romilda to Mabel Garrison.25 9 Serse is
Handel's only opera with a comic plot.
From a total of seven roles four are sung by soprano
voices: Serse, Arsamane, Romilda and Atalanta. There is
a total of twenty-four arias, nineteen of which are sung
25 6HCE, Vol. 91, p. 109. 257Burney, p.cit. p. 820.
258HCE, Vol. 91, p. 62.
259 Pitts Sanborn and Emil Hilb, The Metrorolitan Bookof Opera, p. 103.
81
by the sopranos: Serse, six; Romilda, four; Arsamane,
five, and Atalanta, four. From the six ariosos sung, five
are sung by the sopranos: Serse, two; Romilda, one,
Arsamane, one, and Atalanta, one. There are seven ariettas,
five of which are sung by the sopranos: Serse, one;
Romilda, three, and Atalanta, one. Botb of the recita-
tives are sung by sopranos. Serse sings the recitative,
"Fondi tenere,"260 and Romilda sings the other, "-' amero?
non fia vero.11261 The three duets each have a soprano
role, two of which have two sopranos.
The role of Serse, whose range extends from b to a,"
was performed by Caffarelli. The most outstanding aria
of the first act is "Piu che penso,i262 sung by Serse. The
passages in this aria are contrasted in tempo, and there is
frequent opportunity for the singer to display his voice in
the many divisions. Another outstanding aria of Serse's is
"Ombra mai fu.t1263 The melody of this air is more widely
known as Handel's "Largo." The term "largo," meaning broad
and holding usually an implication of slow and dignified
movement, would almost appear to name a characteristic of
much of handel's music. It has become the title of this
aria which is heard now in all sorts of arrangements for
instruments and voices.
260HCE, Vol. 92, p. 6. 26lIbid., p. 65.
2621bid., p. 34. 263 Ibia., p. 7.
82
Francesina portrayed the role of Romilda, whose range
extends from d' to Bb''. In the accompaniment of Romilda's
arioso, "0 voi che penate,t2614 according to Burney,265
Handel has made use of the flutes playing an octavehigher than the violins, an experiment which he triedmany years before; but after being discontinued fromthe time of HEandel until about twenty years ago(1760) treble instruments playing 'alla octava' thenbecame in fashion.
His aria, " gelosia,t12 6 6 has a spirited melody, but the
passages are too frequently repeated. Romilda sings the
last air of the opera, "Caro voi siete,t26? which is made
the subject of the final chorus. In her duet, "Troppo
oltraggi la mia fede, 268 her range extends from e' to
a", which is higher than Arsamane's which ranges only from
c#' to g#1'' in the duet.
The role of Atalanta has a range from e#' to a'', while
Arsamane's entire range extends from c' to g#1 '. In
Arsamane's aria, "Si la voglio,t1269 Handel invented a
technique for indicating sixteenth notes, placing only a
dot upon a line or space for every four of the same kind.270
26 +HCE, Vol. 92, p. 10.
265Burney, A General Pistory of Music, TI, p. 821.
266pCE, Vol. 92, p. 65. 2671bid., p. 119.
268Ibid., p. 106. 2691bid., p. 76.
270:urney, o. I.., p. 822 (footnote x).
83
The librettist of this drama is unmown. Burney
says,271
the text is one of the worst that Handel ever set tomusic. There is a mixture of tragi-comedy andbuffoonery in it, which Apostblo Zeno and PietroKetastasio had banished from the serious opera. How-ever, it gave Hand'eJ an opportunity of indulging hisnative love and genius for humor.
Imeneo was completed by Handel on October 10, 1740,
and was first produced on Povember 22, 1740. It was
scheduled again for the 29th, but deferred because of the
indisposition of Francesina. However, on December 13th it
was performed for the second and last time.
This is Handel's only opera consisting of only two
acts and may be called an operetta. Handel's original
score is very incomplete. Not only is there no overture
but also in the recitatives the words are often written
without the notes, the notes without the words, and even
the instrumental parts are frequently incomplete.
From a total of five roles tw~o are sung by the
sopranos: Rosmene and Clomire. There are sixteen arias,
seven of which are sung by the sopranos: Rosmene, four,
and Clomire, three. Two ariosos are sung by Rosmene from a
total of five. She also sings the only recitative and a
271Burney, A General History of Music, II, p. 822(footnote x).
part in the onlyr duet. The only trio of the opera is sung
by Rosmene, Tirinto, contralto, and Imeneo, tenor.
Francesina portrayed the role of Rosmene whose range
extended from d' to Bb''. Clomire's entire range is from
e' to 3b'b'. The duet of the opera is sung by Rosmene and
Tirinto, a contralto.
There are very few records concerning this operetta
which is notable for little else than the important role
playeO in it by the chorus.
Deidamia, Handel's last opera, was completed ovember
20, 1740, and was performed only three times, all in the
following year: January 10, 17, and February 10. The
text was written by P. Rolli.
From a total of six roles there are three sung by the
sopranos: Deidamia, Nerea and Achille. There are twenty-
six arias, sixteen of which are sung by the sopranos:
Deidamia, six; Nerea, six, and AchilLe, four. Three of the
four ariosos are sung by the sopranos. Deidamia sings two
and Achille sings the other, "Lasciami tu sei fedele?"272
The only duet, "Ama nell' armi,1 2 7 3 is performed by Deidamia
and Ulisse, a contralto.
Francesina sang the role of Deidamia whose range
extends the highest in this opera, which is from d' to b''.
272ICE, Vol. 94, p. 56. 273Ibid., P. 134#
85
Deidamia's first aria, "Due bell' alme,t,274 is remarkable
for the instrumentation of its accompaniment which is for
cello, lute and harpsichord. Not only is this notable for
its omission of the violin but it provides the last use of
the lute in the English opera orchestra.275
The role of Achille whose range extends from e' to
Bb'' was personated by Edwards. The role of Nerea has a
range from d' to Bb''. Handel either found that his singer
was unequal to a few of his airs or disliked them himself
for he has set the same words to a different melody in
three of his airs.276 Both versions of the airs are found
in G. F. Handel's Werke (HCE).
This opera may be numbered among the happiest of
Handel's dramatic productions.277
A statistical conclusion can be drawn emphasizing the
importance of the soprano role in Handel's operas; thirty-
eight per cent of the total number (252) of roles are
designated for the soprano voice and twenty per cent of
the soprano roles (95) are castrati roles.
2714HCE, Vol. 941, p. 18.
2754einstock, Handel1 p. 230, and Burney, A General
History of Music, II, p. 829.
27 6HCE, Vol. 94, pp. 20, 36 and 128.
277Burney, op_. _i. , p. 830.
86
A comparison of the use of the soprano voice with the
total number of voices shows that: fifty per cent of the
arias are sung by the soprano voice; forty-four per cent of
the ariosos; thlirty-six per cent of the ariettas; ninety-
three per cent of the duets, and thirty-seven per cent of
the recitatives.
It is interesting to note that, with the exception of
one, the soprano duets are sung with a contralto; the
exceptional role is the tenor role and is found in
Almira (1705).
All of Handel's operas, with the exception of two,
have three acts; Teseo (1713) has five acts and Imeneo
(1740) only has two.
The opera Serse (1732) is Handel's only opera with a
comic plot. This opera also happens to be the only one
containing soprano ariettas.
It is hoped that the importance of the soprano role
in Handel's operas may be better understood through the
contents of this study.
APPENDIX I
OPERAS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
Years Operas Volumel
1705 Almira 551707 Rodrigo 561709 Agrippina 571711 Rinaldo 581712 Il Pastor Fido 591713 Teseo 601715 Amadigi 621720 Radamisto 61721 Muzio Scevola 641721 Floridante 651723 Ottone 661723 Flavio 671724 Giulio Cesare 681724 Tamerlano 691725 Rodelinda 701726 Scipione 711726 Alessandro 721727 Admeto 731727 Riccardo 741728 Siroe 751728 Tolomeo 761729 Lotario 71730 Partenope 7,1731 Poro 791732 Ezio 801732 Sosarme 81
1733 Orlando 821734 Arianna 831735 Ariodante 851735 Alcina 861736 Atalanta 871737 Arminio 891737 Guistino 881737 Berenice 901738 Faramondo 911738 Serse 921740 Imeneo 931741 Deidamia 94
1handel, G. F. Werke, edited by Friedrich Chrysander,Handelgesellschaft ?referred to as liCE), Vols. 55-94.
87
APPENDIX II
OPERAS IN ALPHAB9ETICAT ORDER
Date Volume
Admeto 1727 73Agrippina 1709 57Alcina 1736 86Alessandro 1726 72Almira 1705 55Amadigi 1715 62Arianna 1734 83Ariodante 1735 85Arminio 1737 89Atalanta 1736 87Berenice 1737 90Deidamia 1741 94Ezio 1732 80Faramondo 1738 91Flavio 1723 67Floridante 1721 65Giulio Cesare 1724 68Gistino 1737 88Il Pastor Fido 1712 59Imeneo 1740 93Lotario 1729 77Muzio Scevola 1721 64Orlando 1733 82Ottone 1723 66Partenope 1730 78Poro 1731 79Radamisto 1720 63Riccardo 1727 74Rinaldo 1711 58Rodelinda 1725 70Rodrigo 1707 56Scipione 1726 71Serse 1738 923iroe 1728 75Sosarme 1732 81Tamerlano 1724 69Teseo 1713 60Tolomeo 1728 76
88
APPENDIX III
SOPRANO ARIAS, DTTS AND RECITATIVES IN ALPHABETICAL
ORDER ACCORDING TO EACH OPERA WITH CORRESPONDING
ROLE, RANGE, VOLUME AND PAGE NUMBER2
Admeto (1727), HCE Vol. 73
AriasDa tanti affanni oppressaE per monti e per piano e
per selveE che ci posso far, se non
ti posso amarFaro cosi piu bella la
bella fede miaGelosia, spietate AlettoIo son qual Fenice risorte
dal foco5Io ti bacio, oh bella
imagoLa dove gli occhi io giroLa sorte mia vacillaLuci care addio,
posate
Role 3
Antigona
Antigona
Antigona
Al ce steAlceste
Antigone.
AntigonaAlcesteAntigona
Alceste
2Also includes ariosos,when contained in the operas.
ariettas, trios and quartets
3Castrati roles are indicated by (c).
4illi Apel, "Pitch Names," Harvard Dictionary,system I.
5HCE Vol. 73, Appendix.
6Also found in Ebenezer Prout, editor, Songs and Airs_b G. F. Handel, Vol. I, p. 45.
89
Range4
e'-a''I
dt-ab''
d#' -e'Id '-.g''
e'-g''
e'-b''If#'-a''
elb f .9
66
57
106
2269
123
101102
84
13
90
Arias Role.
Quanto g dra, allor che mivedra1
Sen vola io sparvierSi, carol, si, ti string
al fin cosiSpera allor, che in mar
turbatoSpera, si, mio carol bene8Vedro fra poso, se l'dol
mio cangio desio
AlcesteAntigona
Alceste
AntigonaAlceste
Alceste
Range
eb'gt.e -a''
4940
I ' -#' 115
eb'-b'' 18e'-g'' 121
f -f'' 1 84
Duets
Dolce ristoro!ia t'abbraccio Antigona.
Admeto9
Recitative
Admeto, traditor, iniquoamante Ant igona
Agrippina (1709), HCE Vol.
f'-f''
57
Arias
Bel piacere e godere fidoamor10
Bella pur nel mio dilettoColl'ardor del tuo bel coreCol peso del tuo amorCon saggio tuo consiglioE un foco quel d'amoreFa quanto vuoi, 1i
scherni tuoiHo un non so che nel cor
Poppea.PoppeaNerone(c)Poppea-Nerone(c)Poppea
PoppeaAgrippina
7Also found in WilliamArias by Handel.
81bid.
Thomas Best, editor, Fifty
9Contralto role.
10Also found in Otto Dresel, editor, Handel Arien ftir
g'-g'' 101
16
g'-g'''f I Id '-g' 1
e'-a'' tdf#-g''
f'-a''If'#1-g'' I
1218211190
940
4543
91
Arias Role
Ingannata una sol voltallL'alma mia fra le tempesteNon ho cor che per armartiOgni vento ch'al porto lo
spingal2
Pensieri, voi me tormentatel 3
Quando invite la donnal'amante
Se guinge un dispettoSe vuoi pace, o volto amatoSotto il lauro che hai sul
crineTu ben degno sei dell'allorTuo ben il trono, io nonVagbe perle, eletti fiore
PoppeaAgrippinaAgrippina
Ag rippinaAgrippina
Nerone (c)PoppeaAgrippina
Nerone(c)AgrippinaPoppeaPoppea
Arioso
Qual piacer a un cor pietoso Nerone(c)
Quartet
Il tuo figlio merta solscettro e corone Agrippina
Nerone(c)Admetol+Ercole' 5
lAlso found in Otto Dresel, editor, Handel Arienffir Sopran.
12Ibid.
'3Also found in Ernest V. Wolff, editor, Handel'sFifteen Arias for High Voice.
Contralto role.
15Bass role.
Range
e'-f#f t
'-g''
e'-..g''
f'-bg' Ige - ''
d'-g'I fd'-g'' I
e f '' tf '-b' f
882053
10594
925'7
133
77307635
22
g'-g''g'-ga I
25
e'f'' f
92
Alcina (1735), HCE Vol. 86
Arias
Ah! mio cor!16Ama, sospiraBarbara: io ben lo soChi M'insegna il carol padreCredete al mio doloreDi, cor mio, quanto t'amaiDi te mi rido, semplice
stoltoDi, son quellaLa bocca vagaMa quando torneraiMi lusinga il dolce affettoMio bel tesoroMi restano le lagrimel70 s'apre al risoSta nell Ircana pietrosa tenaTornami a vaheggiarVerdi pratilO
AlcinaMorganaOberto(c)Oberto(c)MorganoAlcina
Ruggiero(c)AlcinaRuggiero(c)AlcinaRuggiero(c)Ruggiero(c)AlcinaMorganaRuggiero(c)AlcinaRuggiero(c)
Ariosos
Col celarviQual portento
Ruggiero (c)Ruggiero(c)
Recitative
AhL! Ruggiero crudel
Trio
Non e amor, ne gelosia
Alcina
AlcinaRugg iero(cBroamante
16Also found in WilliamArias by Handel.
Thomas Best, editor, Fifty
17Ibid.
18Also found in Knud Jeppesen, La Flora, I, p. 134.
1 9Alto role.
Range
f'-ab''e'-a''e .a'' I
f '-Bb''f'-ab'
dl-a''I
e ' -a' '
bt-e''If '-a''I
e ' eb' 'e'-a' 'Ie'-b''Ib-g''f'-Bb''
C#'-e''I
Pa e
8270
13625
11022
274346
1166775
1297
1195194
5557
97
f'-Bb'd'-eb'
d '.-9''
e'-a''
93
Alessandro (1726), HCE Vol. 72
Role IArias
Alla sua gabbia d'orosuol ritornar talor
Brilla nell' alma un noninteso ancor
Che tirannia d' Amor' fuggirDica il falso, dica il veroLa cervetta nei lacci avvoltaL'amor, che per te sentoL'armi implora dal tuo
figlioLusinghe piu care20No, piu soffrir non voglioQuanto, dolce armor sariaSi, m'e caro imitar quel
bel fioreUn lusinghiero dolce
pensiero
Rossane
RossaneLisauraRossaneLisauraLisaura
RossaneRossaneLisauraLisaura
Lisaura.
Rossane
Duets
Amar m' e forza ognor
Se ve bellezza in me, sonbella
Son d' Amore nella facecalma
Lisaura.Alessandro21
RossaneAlessandro
LisauraRossane
Arioso
Aure, fonti, ombra gradite Rossane
20Also found in Frank LaForge, The Second Lily PonsSong Album, p. 36, under the title, "Caresses and Glances,"and Ebenezer Prout, editor, Songs & Airs by G. F. Handelp. 36.
21Contralto role.
Page
78
102749284
110
135203317
100
41
d'-f#' t
e'-g#''If ' a-abl Iet-ab''
f'I-Bb I'
d'-g'' 1d'-g''I
d'-Bbt td t-r''
e' #''
g'-a'' 125
126
g '-g''
g 1.g''1 52
62I -' '
94
Recitatives
Che mirai? (for two voices)
Solitudini amateSpegni, oh supreno Regnator
di Numi (for two voices)
Vilipese bellezze
Trio
All' amista fedel
Almira (1705),
LisauraRossaneAlessandro 2 2
HCE Vol. 55
Arias
Blinder SchttzChi sa, mia spemeChi piu mi piace io veglioDer Himmel wird strafenDer Mund spricht zwar
gezwungen: NeinGeloso tormentoIch brenne zwar, dock ohne
dein BewegenKochet, ihr Adern,
entzundete RacheMove i passi alle rutheNo, no, non voglio, noPiu non vuo tra si e noProverai di che fiere saetteQuillt, ihr uberhguften
ZahrenSanera la piaga un diSchdnste Rosen und NarcissenVedrai, s' a tuo dispettoVod kommene HundeWerthe Schrift, geliebte
Zeilen
BellanteBell-anteAlmiraEdilia
Bellant eAlmira
Bellante
AlmiraAlmiraAlmiraEdiliaEdilia
Ed iliaAlmiraEdiliaAlmiraAlmira
Almira
22Contralto role.
Role Range
RossaneLisauraRossane
RossaneLisauraRossane
eb'-e'I
f'-f''
g'-g' 'g' -g''f'-f' I
1560
12337
129
d'-g''f#'-fb''f '-C 'f'I
g ' -Bb';'e'-a''I
d'-ab''I
d ' -g9 t'Idt-g''Ig'-Bb''Ig'- c#''f
g ' -Bb't'f
d'f-b''I
df ' -9 'f'I
864+51169
1+028
112
9660553118
8267139126
100
f#'-a ''fd'-g t'
95
Duets Role
Ich will gar von nichtenwissen
Mein Betrtben, Masaverschwinden
Spielet, ihr blitzendenAugen
EdiliaOsman23
Bellant eOsman24
Almira2 5Fernando25
Amadi (1715), HCE Vol. 62
Arias
Ah! spietato! e nonti muove
Ch' io lasci mai d' amareil caro mio tesero
Destero dall' empia Dite ognifuria a farvo guerra
Dolce vita del mio ttoGioja venita in sen'Io godo, scherzo e rido
crudel, nel tuo dolorOh care mio teser, deh!Se tu brami di godereS' estinto e It idol mioTi pentirai, crudelVanne lungi dal mio petto
Melissa
Melissa
MelissaOrianaOriana
MelissaOrianaMelissaOrianaOrianaMelissa
Arioso
Io mia sento 1' alma in sen Melissa
Duets
Cangia al fine il tuo rigore Oriana.Amadigi 2 7
23Tenor role. 24Tenor role.
2 6 Also found in W. G. Whittaker, editor, Arias fromHandel's Italian Operas.
27Contralto role.
Range Page
37
f f ' '
f I -Bbt t
37
109
e'-g' 17
69
717628
373463465279
f#'-f't t
eb'-ab'
eb'-f' 'Ieb'-g' Ie'-g' '1
89
82
25Ibid.
d'-g t'I
I'-g'
96
Duets Role
Crudel, tu non farsi MelissaAmadi gi
Recitative
Addio , crudo Amadigi Melissa
Arianna (1733), HCE Vol. 83
Arias
Deh! lascia un tal desioti prego, idolo mio
Non ha diffesaPar che voglia il ciel
sereno, rischiararSdegno, amore fanne guerra
a questo coreSe nel bosco resta solo
rusignolo col suo cantoSo che non e piu mioSon qual stanco pellegrinoTal' or d' ascuro velo
ricopreTurbato i mar si vede con
subita nrocella
Duets
Deh, taci, crudel
Mira adesso questo seno piusereno
AriannaAlceste(c)
Alceste(c)
Arianna
AriannaAria nnaAlceste(c)
Alceste(c)
Arianna
ArianngTeseo2g
Arianna
Ariodante (1735), HCE Vol. 85
Arias
Apri le luci, e mira gliascosi
Del mio sol vezzosi raiIl mio crudel martoro
crescer non puo di piu
DalindaLurcanio(c)
Ginevra
28Contralto role.
f'-gf'55
e ' -g ' ' 88
f'.-Bb I
dt-g't
et~atVfe'f-a''I
e'f-a''Id#'-a''Ieb'-a''d'-g''
1552
89
34
825573
26
99
80
f'-a''
f#'-g''V
d#' -g' V
1345
93
97
Arias
Il primo ardor e cosi caro
Il tuo sangue, ed il tuo zeloIo ti bacio, o mano augustaMi palpita il core ne indendo
percheNeghittosi or voi che fate?Orrida a gl' occhi mieiSi morro, ma 1' onor mio mecoTu vivi, e punito rimanga
1' eccessoVolate, amari, di due bei
core
Role
Dalinda
Lurcanio(c)Ginevra
GinevraDalindaGinevraGinevra
Lurcanio(c)
Ginevra
Ariosos
Manca, oh Dei!Vezzi, lusinghe, e brio
Ginevra.Ginevra
Duets
Bramo haver mille cori, perconsacrarli a te
Prendi da cuesta mano ilpegno
Se rinasce nel mio cor
Spera, spera io gia mi pento
Recitative
A me impudica
Arminio (1737),
Arias
Al furor che ti consigliaad Augusto
E' vil segno d' un debolemore
Il sangue al cor favellaamore
GinevraAriodante 29
GinevraAriodanteGinevraAriodanteDalindaLurcanio(c)
Ginevra,
HCE Vol. 89
Tusnelda
Tusnelda
Sigismonde(c)e'-a''
2 9Contralto role.
f'3-Bb''
d'-a' I
f'-a t '
e#' -a I'I
d'-gb
f'-.Bb''
48
87108
84102
9111
67
23
g'-a''125
6
126
20
52
120
f'-g'' 92
e'-Bb' 28
80
e'I-a''
e'-a''fet-f#''
98
Arias Role
Impara a non temer dalmio costante amor
Non son sempre vane larveQuella fiamma, ch' il petto
m' accendeRendimi il dolce sposo due
vite io ti dovroScaglian amore e sangueVa, combatti ancor da forte
Sigismondo(c)e'-g''Sigismondo(c)d'-ab''
Sigismondo(c)d'-c'''
TusneldaTusneldaTusnelda
Ariosos
Ho veleno e ferro avantiTra speme e timore mi
palpita il core
Tusnelda
Tusnelda f'-g I
Duets
Il fuggir, cara mia vita
Quando piu minaccia ii Cielo
Ritorna nel core vezzosabrilliante
TusneldaArminio30TusneldaRamise31
TusneldaArminio
Atalanta (1736), HCE Vol. 87
Arias
Bench ' io non sappia ancorLascia ch' io parta soloLassa' ch' io t' ho perdutoM' allontano, sdegnose
pupilleNon sara poco, se il mio
gran focoRiportai gloriosa palma3 2
Se nasce un rivolettoSi, si, mei raccorderoTu solcasti il mare infido
agitata navicella
Atalant aMeleagro(c)Atalanta
Meleagro(c)
Meleagro(c)At alant aAtalantaMeleagro(c)
Meleagro(c)
30 Contralto role. 3 1Alto role.
3 2 Also found in William Thomas Best, editor, FiftArias by Handel.
9222
641489
76
82
g 'g''
6
77
99
599
33
f '-a ' ff -.Bb''
f' -c'' 1
e ' -a'I'ff#'-a''te'- at t
232154+42
69
g#'-a''If#'-a' 'If '-a''f
99
Ariosos
Al varco, oh pastoriCare selve, ombre beate33Custodite, o dolci sogni,
del mio ben
Role
AtalantaMeleagro(c)
At alanta
Duets
Caro, nel tuo bel labbra
Oh Dei, che voui? Taci!
AtalantaMeleagro(c)AtalantaMeleagro(c)
t~a I
f#'-g#''I
f#'-f#''
g'-Bb''e'-Bb''g '-a''e'-e''I
Berenice (1737), HCE Vol. 90
Arias
Avvertite mie pupille, nontradite 1' onor mio
Che sara' quando amanteaccarezza
Chi t' intende? o ciecains tabile!
Dice amor, quel bel vermiglioIn quella, sota in quella
caudida mano e bellaLa bella mano, che mi piagoNo, che seruvie altruiQuell' oggetto, ch' e caro
a chi adoreSempre dolciTraditore, traditore!
Berenice
Alessandro(c)e'-a''
BereniceBerenice
e'-Bb''e'-a''I
Alessandro(c)f'-g''Alessandro(c)e'-a''Berenice g'-Bb''
Alessandro(c)e'-ab''Berenice e '-a''Berenice d'-a''
Arioso
Mio bel sol, dove t' aggiri Alessandro(c)c#'-a''
33Also found in Will Earhart and Frank LaForge,Pathw of Songs, III, p. 51, and Ernest V. Wolff,Handel's Fifteen Arias for High Voice.
Page
188
68
75
37
88
10
7523
8652
6
294058
49
f'-g''
100
Duets
Se il mio amor fu il tuodlitto
Le diral*
Quella fede, quel volto
Role R
Berenice e'-a''Dimetrio31+
Alessandro(c)e'-g#''Arsage35Berenice g#'-af'Alessandro(c)e'-f#''
Deidamia (1741), HCE, Vol. 94
Arias
Ai Greci questa spada sovrai nemici estinti
Consolami se bramiDa lusinghe, di dolcezza
non fatica non asprezzaD' amor nel primi istanti
facili son gli amantiMai resa infeliceNasconde 1' usignol' in alti
rami i1 nldoNon ti credo, non ml fidoNon vuo perdere lustanteQuando accenderan quel pettoQuanto ingannata e quellaSeguir di selva in selva la
fuggitive belvaSe il timore il ver mi dice
infeliceSe pensi amor tu sol per
vezzo e per belta36S*, che desio quel che tu
brami maggiar legamiSi, m' appaga, si, m' aletta
auella vaga collinettaVa, perfido!
Achille(c)Deidamia
Nerea
NereaDeidamia
DeidamiaNereaNereaDeidamiaNerea
Achille(c)
Deidamia
Achille(c)
Nerea
Achille(c)De idamia
106126
e-al 'e'-b' '
g'-a''I 20
e'-a''158d'-Bb'' 110
d'-b''t
g'1-ab'd'-Bb''
e#'-g#''I
f '-at I
g#'-a''f'.-Bb I
4778
12829
101
27
63
32
36
9288
34Alto role. 3 5Ibid.
36Also found in William Thomas Best,Arias by Handel.
32
84
92
editor , Fift
101
Ar iosos
Due bell' alme inamorateLasciami! Tu sei fedele?Ma chi sa, se mi riama il
mio bene
Role
DeidamiaAchille(c)
Deidamia
Duets
Ama nell' armi, e nelt' amar DeidamUlisse
Ezio (1732), HCE Vol. 80
Arias
A! non son io che parloe il barbaro dolore
Caro padre, a me non deimammentar che padre sei
Finche un zeffiro soaveLa mia costanza non si
sgomentaQuel finger affretto allor
che non s' amaSulle sponde di cocito
Fulvia
FulviaFulvia
Fulvia
FulviaFulvia
e#'-a'' 103
1338
70
56114
Recitatives
Che fo? dove mi volgoMisera, dove son!
FulviaFulvia
e'-a''If ' -a'I'f
et'-a' 'I
e '0 -a'
f#'.g -g''52
102
Faramondo (1738), HCE Vol. 91
Arias
Chi ben ama, ogu' altroaffetto nel suo petto
Combattuta da due ventiCoroscero, se brami ch' io
t' amiMi parto lieta sulla tua fedePoi che pria di morire mi
beo, pupille careRival ti sono, ma son fedel
Adolfo(c)Clotilde
C16tildeClotilde
Faramondo(c)Faramondo(c)
3 7 Contralto role.
f '-Bb''I'-B ''
df ' -g't
1856
19
g '-a''134
e '-a''
e'-Bb' I
c'I-a''fc'-g' 'I
1462
104-0
6023
102
Arias
Sappi, crudel, io t' amoSe a' piedi tuoi morro, la
destra bacieroSe ber mi lusinga 1' infida
speranz4 so purSento, che un gusto sdegno
mi sprona a vendicarmiSe ria procella sorge nell
ondeSi, 1' intendestiUn' aura placide e
lusinghiera dopo le peneVanne, che piu ti miroVoglio che sia I' indegro
vittima del tuo sdegno
Role Range
Rosimonda d'-et'
Adolfo(c) el'-g''
FaraTmondo(c) dt-g''
Rosimonda Bb.ftt
Adolfo(c) d'-g''Rosimonda c'-f'
Clotilde e' -a't
Rosimonda b-e ' '
Faramondo(c) dt-g''
Anioso
Si, tornero a m6rir Faramondo(c)
Duets
Caro, tu ml accendi nel miocare dolce f iamma
Vado e vivo con la speranza
Clot ildeAdolfo (c)Faramondo (c)Rosimonda
Flavio (1723), HCE Vol. 67
Arias
Amante stravagante piu delmio ben
Che bel contento sarabbeamore
Da tu parto, ma concedich' ilmio duolo
Ma chi punir desio?Non credo instabile chi mi
piagoParto, si, ma non so poi
Emilia
Vitige(c)
EmiliaEmilia
Vitige(c)Emilia
e '-b' '
e'-Bb'
e'-f#te'-g#''
106
68
34
10151
10919
33
e'-a''
d'-dt''
86
80
32
24
6358
103
Arias Role
Quanto dolci4 quanto care sonle givje38
Sirti, scogli, tempesteEmi iaVitige (c)
Arloso
Corrispondi a chi t' adora Vitige(c)
Duet
Ti perdono, oh carol bene
Recitative
Oh Guido! oh mio tiranno
Floridante (1721), HCE Vol.
Arias
Amor commanda40Dopo i nembo e la procellaDope 1' ombre d' un fiero
sospettoGodo 1' alma innamorataLascioti, oh bella, il voltoMa un dolce mio pensieroNo, non piangeteOb dolce mia speranza0 quanto e caro amarSe risolvi abbandonarmiSospiro, e veroVanne, sequil' ' mio desio
Duet
Fuor di periglio di fieroartiglI Ia
Timante(c)Timante(c)
RossaneRos saneTimante(c)RossaneTimante(c)RossaneRossaneRossaneRossaneRossane
RossaneTimante(c)
38Also found in Otto Dresel, editor,ftr Sopran.
39Contralto role.
Handel Arien
'Also found in Handel Renaissance, refers to Gtinther,editor, Handel Renaissance.
1070
66
EmiliaGuido319
a'-f'I'79
Emilia 73
65
g' -g''
e'-g''
f -a''f '-9''1
e '-g''I
d'-g'' If f-a''I
e'-a '
10234
194846108312
5873199
65
f#'-at'Id'-g'' I
e'f'' I
Giulio Cesare (1724), HCE Vol. 68
Arias
Cara speme, questo core tucominci a lusingar
Da tempeste ii legnoinfranto 1
La giustizia ha gia sull'arco
T' aure che spira tirannoe fiero
Non disperar; chi sa?4Piangero la sorte mia42Se pieta di me non sentiSvegliatevi nel core43Tu la mio stella seiTutto puo donna ve71z osaV' adore, puppilleVenere bella, per un istante
deh!
Duet
Caro! piu amabile beltamal non
Son nato a sospirar
Sesto(c)
Cleopatra.
Sesto (c)
Sesto(c)CleopatraCleopatraCleopatraSesto(c)CleopatraCleopatraCleopatra
Cleopatra
CleopatraCesare5 -Sesto(c)Cornelia
Recitatives
Che sento? oh, Dio!Voi, che mie fide ancelle
CleopatraCleopatra,
41lAlso found in WilliamArias b Handel.
Thomas Best, editor, Fifty
42Also found in Ernest V. Wolff, editor, Handel'sFifteen Arias for High Voice, and W. T. Best, editor, _cit.
43Also found in Ernest V. Wolff, editor, p. cit.
p. 47.
4Also found in W. T. Best, editor, . cit,
4 5Contralto role.
f#'-g''
e '-a' '
f'-gb''e -a
c f -g9'1'tf'f-ab'e'-a''If'-g''I
e'-at'I
36
117
113
8921
1008317383056
76
128
48
e'-g ''9 '- 1 ''9 t 82115
- . - -- .. . I mil -1 -- -i- I Ilididia ill I I I I II ilil il lil Mlii
104
d#'-e''
105
Guistino (1737)
Arias
Da' tuoi begin' occhi imparaDi Re sdegnato 1' ire
tremendaII mio cor gia piu non sa
raffrenarMio dolce amato sposoNon si vanti un alma audace0 fiero e rio sospettoQuel torrente che s' inaulza
sulla spondaTi rendo questo cor, che
ti serbo 1' amorUn vostro sguardo, o luci
arciere
Arioso
Verdi lauri
Duet
Mia dolce spenet
HCE Vol. 88
Role
Arianna
Anastasio(c)
AriannaAriannaAnastasio (c)Anastasio(c)
Arianna
Arianna
Anastasio(c)
Anastasio(c)
AriannaAnastasio(c)
1 Pastor Fido (1712), HCE Vol.
Arias
Allor che sorge astrolucente
Augelletti, ruscelletti,che cantando
Caro Amor, sol per momentiD' allor trionfante si
cinga la fronteDi goder il bel ch' adoro
si lusingaFato crudo, amor severoFinte labbia!Lanton del mio tesoro
struggo I' amante corNel mio core ritorna il
contentoNo! non basta un infedele
lo strale
Mirtillo (c)
Mirtilli (c)Mirtilli(c)
Burilla
EurillaMirtillo(c)Amarilli
Mirtillo(c)
Mirtillo(c)
Amarilli
ICI
d ' -g9'1'teg'-a''
g '-g''f ' -g 't I
d ' -a'I'I
Range
e'-a' f
c'-ab'
f '-ab'
f'-a''I
ft-Bb''f t-a''I
page
13
95
98574686
80
111
9
73
66
59
33
1430
60
211335
20
47
42
'
'
106
Arias Role
Occhi belli, voi sol sieteRitorna adesso amor con la
speranza in senSecondaste al f ineSon come navicella
Eurilla
EurillaEur illaAmarilli
Duet
Per te, mio dolce bene AmarilliMirtillo(c)
Recitative
Oh! Y;irtillo , Mirtillo!Mal grado I' amor mio
Imeneo (1740),
Amarilli
HCE Vol. 93
Arias
E si vaga del tuo beneIo son quella navicellaIngrato mai non fuiIn mezzo a voi dui qui
lascio il mio coreSemplicetta, la saetta non
intendi ancor d' amoreSe ricordar ten vuoiVe un infelice che per te
more
ClomiroRosmeneRosmene
Rosmene
RosmeneClomiri
Clomiri
Ar iosos
Al voler di tuo fortuna giaRosmene acconsenti
Deh! m' ajutate, oh Dei!
Duet
Per le parte del tormentopassan It anime a gioir Ro smene +6
Tirinto
4 6Contralto role.
Range
g'-g''
gf'-g''g '9g''f '9a''
32
506317
66
65
et-a'hId'-Bb''e' -a''
5610225
e'-Bb''f '-Bb'
e'-a''I
76
4685
35
Ro smeneRosmene
g#.g'-g''I
10142
eI-g#''105
d'-g''d'-g'I f
107
Recitative Role
Miratila, che arriva cintadi negromante Rosmene
Trio
Bramando uscir di pene RosmeneTirintImeneo 7
Lotario (1729), HCE Vol. 77
Arias
D' una torbida sorgentenasce il rio
Menti iterne che reggetede' mortali
Non sempre invendicata iorestiro cosi
Quel cor, che mi donastiScherza in mar la navicella.
Adelaide
Adelaide
AdelaideAdelaideAdelaide
Duet
Si, prode amante, tusei gradito Adelaid C
Lotario
Recitatives
Soglio, digli avi mieiSommo rettor del Cielo
AdelaideAdelaide
Muzio Scevola (1721) , HCE Vol.
Arias
Come, se ti vedro, cara,partir potro?
Dimmi, crudele Amore49Orazio(c)Clelia.
47Tenor role. 48Contralto role.
49Also found in Ernest V. Wolff, editor, Handel'sFifteen Arias for Ligh Voice, p. 37.
Range Page
98
g '-a''
68
ct-ab''
e'-Bb''f'I-Bb''Id#' -a'' f
73
58
903046
118
g '-g'' 2172
e' -g#''d'-eD''
3317
Arias
Lungo pensar e dubitarNon ti fidar, perche il
desire lusinga e ver! 0
Duets
Ma come amar?
Vivo senza alma, oh bella
Cleli *Mjuzio'1Orazi (c)Irene
Recitative
Io d' altro regno Clelia
Orlando (1733), HCE Vol. 82
Arias
Amor e qual ventoChi possessore e del mio coreCosi giusta e questa speme
che se 1' almaHo un certo rossoreNon potra dirmi ingrataOh care parolette, oh
dolci squardiSe fedel voi ch' 10 ti credaSe mi rivolgo al piato5 3Verdi piante
DorindaAngelica
AngelicaDorindaAngelica
DorindaAngelica,DorindaAngelica
Ariosos
Ed innestar to vuoiQuando spieghi i
tuoi tormentiRitornava al suo bel viso
Dorinda
Dorinda.Angelica
5 0Also found in Ernest V. Wolff, editor, Handel'sFifteen Arias for i Voice, p. 14.
51C.lontralto role. 52Alto role.
53Also found in E. V. Wolff, editor, Handel'sFifteen Arias for High Voice, p. 54.
108
Role
Clelia
Fidalma
d'-g''
f ' -Bb't'
6
29
60
Ib- ' I 16
b-b''e '-a''
e ' - a'I'I
dt-Bb''e' -a''e'-ab''d'-a''I
802058
28324661
g '-g''9# -a' ' 1f'-a''I
77
4322
e'f''I
f t-g1
109
Duet Role
Finche prendi ancor i sangue Angelica f t-ab' ' 93Orlando5
Recitative
Quanto diletto avea traquesti boschi Dorinda
Trio
Gentil pastorella AngelicaDorindMedoro
Ottone (1723), HCE Vol. 66
Arias
Affanni del pensier5 6
Alla faina, dimmi il vero!Dir 11 potessi vidiFalsa imagineGiunt in porto e la speranzaGode I' alma consolata
quella calmaPensa ad amareS' io dir potessi al
mio crudeleMSpera, si mi dice il core57Tra queste are ombre
gradite5CTrema, tiranno, ancor dice
ti ii fato allorVieni, o figlio, e mi
console
TeofaneTeofaneTeofaneT eof aneGismonda
TeofaneGismonda
TeofaneTeofane
Teofane
Gismonda
Gismonda
g-t ab''If'.-BbI
f#'-a' 'dt.g t
b-f #t t
f#'-a''ffg'-a ''
3961
1022215
11035
70138
g'-ab'' 142
d'-g'' 84
d#' -f #''1 55
5'Contralto role. 5 5Alto role.
56Also found in William Thomas Best, editor, FiftyArias ; Handel.
58Ibid.57In appendix of HCE.
e '-e'' 17
e'-a'te'-g''I
38
110
Arioso Role
Pur che regain il figlio amato Gismonda
Duet
A' teneri affetti il corat abbandoni
Notte coral a te sidove il trionfo
Recitative
0 grati orror!
TeofanaOttone59
Gismond goMatilda00
Teofane
Partenope (1730), HCE Vol. 78
Arias
Io ti levo 1' emperodell' Armi61
L' amor ed il destinycombattera per me
Non chiedo, oh luci vagheQual forfaletta gira a
quel lumeSi, scherza, si sempre Amor
con doppia faceSei mia gioja, sei mio beneSpera e godi, oh mio tesoroVoglio amare insin ch'
10 MoroVoglio dire al mio tesoro
Partenope
PartenopeArmindo92
Partenope
PartenopePartenopePartenope
PartenopeArmindo
Ar ioso
Care mura Partenope
59 0ontralto role.6 0 Alto role.
61Also found in Ernest V. Wolff, editor, Handel'sFifteen Arias for H4h Voice, p. 41.
6 2The role of Armindo was changed from a contraltorole to a soprano role in the 1737 production. Only herarias in this production are listed here.
12
118
78
68
f '-b''
f f-Bbe'-f#''I
f#'-a''f'I-Bbf'I-Bb
f#'-at'I
40
1080
81
1203195
6517
63
f'-g''
f '-a''I
Of#'-g''
f'-a''
111
Aduo Role
Ed i per te
Range
Parten peArsace03
Poro (1731) , HCE Vol. 79
Arias
Come 11 candore d'intall i neve
Digli, ch io son fedeSe il ciel mi divide dal
carol mio sposoSei mal turbo il tuo riposoSe troppo crede al cIglio
colui che va per 1' onde
CleofideCleofide
Cleof ideCleofide
Cleof ide
Arioso
Spirto amato dell idol miodeh raccogli Cleofide
A duo
Caro, vieni al mio seno
Caro amico amplesso!
Se mai piu saro geloso
Cleo 4dePoro
CleofidePoroCleofidePoro
631n appendix of HCE.
64Contralto role.
30
e ' -g ''g9-ab'
e'-a''
f '-a''f
11548
5819
71
eb'_gft
Duets
96
e'g# 'I
eb'--a''42
34
a#'-f'' I
112
Radamisto6 5 (1720), HCE Vol. 63
Role
Barbaro, partiroCare sposaDeh! fuggi un traditoreDolce bene di quest' almaDopo 1' orride procelleFatemi, oh cieli, almenFerite, uccidete, oh
numi del ciel!Lascia pur amica spene
le tue peneLa sorte, il ciel, amor
promettonoLI ingrato non amarMirero quel vago voltoNon sara quest' alma mig6Ombra cara di mia sposa0 sumami il dilettoQual nave sm rrita
tra serti 7SI adopri il braccio armatoSegni di crudelta del fiero
sposo avraiSo ch' e vana la speranzaSposo ingrato, parto siSpero placare quel caro voltoTu vuoi ch' io partaTroppo sofferse gia
questo mio pettoVaga e bella ogn' or vedraiVanne, sorella ingrataVuol ch' io serva amor la
bella
Polissena f'-BRadamisto (c) e'-f#'Tigrane(c) f'-a 'Radamisto(c) d'-g''Polissena f'-g 'Polissena f#'-g'
Radamisto(c) e'-a''
Fraarte f#t-g#
Tigrane(c) f'-g''Tigrane(c) f'-ab'Fraarte e'-g''1Polissena 9g-Radamisto(c) et'-g'Zenobia e'-f't
Radamisto(c) d'-g''Fraarte e'-g''1
Tigrane(c) f'-g''Tigrane(c) c'-d''Polissena g#'-a'Fraarte ft-g''iPolissenae'-g#'
Polissena g'-g''tFraarte f'-g''iRadamisto(c) e'-ab'
Tigrane(c) f#-a'
65In the 1728 production Handel was forced to changeand alter many of the airs due to the change of singers.The role of Radamisto was changed from a soprano to con-tralto role and Zenobia's role was changed from an alto toa soprano. Only the soprano arias are listed here. Theline indicates which version the air was used.
66Also found in Ebenezer Prout, editor, Songs and Airsby G. F. Handel, II, p. 15.
67Ibid, I, p. 32. Also found in William Thomas Best,editor, Fifty Arias bv Handel.
Ar ias Range
/18717
/1228435
/170
22
/151
61/122
3067/16243/143
/204
10278
/137/174
9058
/1685065
''
'
'
'
''
'
'
'
'
113
Ark so
Sommi Del!68
Duets
Role
Polissena
Non ho piu affanni no inbraccio del mio bene
Se teco vive 11 cor cara
ZenobiaRadamisto(c)Radamisto(c)Zenobia
Riccardo (1727), HCE Vol. 74
Arias
Ai guardi tuoi son pur vagaBacia per me la mano del
caro idolo mioBella, tuo non ho ne'
sdegno ne rigorCaro vieni a me!Di notte il pellegrinoIl volo cosi fido al
dolce amato nidoL' aouila altera conosce
i figliLascia la pace all' alma!Quando non ve e la
cara madreO9
Quel gelsominoQuell' innocente affletto
core, fedele amoreSe peri 1' amato beneTutto brillante rai per
lungo scintillar
Pulcheria
Costanza
PulcheriaCostanzaCostanza
Costanza
PulcheriaCostanza
PulcheriaPulcheria
PulcheriaCostanza
PulcherIa
e' -a''e'-a'' I
53
98
224937
f#'-a'' 110
d'-g'' If#'-mat t
e'-ab' '
f ' -g9'f t
6925
1251+6
8910
115
Ar lo so s
Marte, vieni!Si, me contrario 11 Cielo
CostanzaCostanza
6 8Also found in WilliamArias _x Pandel.
Thomas Best, editor, Fifty
69 In appendix of HCE.
Page
6
/201
74
f t -g''Ie'-g#''t
8833
g'-a''
e f-e I'
114
Duet
T' amo, si e piu m' appaga CostanzaRiccardo7O
Recitatives
Ah, padre! Ah, Cielo!Alto immenso poterTascia, Berardo, lasciami!
PulcheriaCostanzaCostanza
Rinaldo7 1 (1711), HCE Vol. 58
Arias
Abbruggio, avvampo e fremoAh! crudel il pianto mioAugelletti, che contate
zefiratteBel piacere e godereCara sposa, amante cara,
dove seiWCombatti da forteCor ingrato, ti rammembriE' un incendio fra due ventiFurie terribili!Il Tricerbero humiliaeoLascia, ch' 10 pianga(3Molto Voglio, molto spero
Rinaldo(c)Armida
AlmirenaAlmirena,
Rinaldo(c)AlmirenaRinaldo(c)Rinaldo(c)ArmidaRinaldo(c)AlmirenaRinaldo(c)
70Contralto role.
71 In the 1731 production Handel was forced to changeand alter many of the airs due to the change of singers.The roles of Rinaldo and Armida were changed from soprano tocontralto roles. Only the soprano arias are listed here.The line indicates which version the air was used.
72Also found in Ebenezer Prout, editor, Sons and Airsby G. F. Handel, I, p. 1.
7 3Also found in Knud Jeppesen, editor, La Flora, I,p. 41, Will Earhart and Frank LaForge, Pathways of Songs,II, p. 48, Ebenezer Prout, editor, Songs and Airs h_ G. F.Handel, I, p. 7, and Ernest V. Wolff, editor, Handel'sFifteen Arias for High Voice, p. 23.
Role Range
72
4592
5
d'-d''I
b-e''If'-ab'c-e''Icl-c''I
a-f 't'ff t-g''Ig'-a' 'I
68/17672/183
31/14797
39/1527
42882554+61/16829/116
t -g#'
9'-g''f f-g''g f ''
115
Arias
Ogui indugio d' un amante 4
Paroletti, vezzi e sguardiSu caro si, ti stue,
al fin cosiVenti, turbini, prestate
le vostre aliVo! far guerra7 5
Role
Rinaldo(c)Almirena
Almirena
Rinaldo(c)Armida
Duets
Al trionfo del nostro furore
Al trionfo del nostrofurore
Fermati! Armida son fedel
Scherzano sul tuo volto
ArmidaArgante76
AlmirenaGoffredo77
ArmidaRinaldo(c)AlmirenaRinaldo (c)
Recitatives
Dunque i lacci d' un volto Armida
Rodelinda (1725), BCE Vol. 70
Arias
Ahi perche, guisto cielHo perduto il ro sposo78
Mio caro bene!
RodelindaRod elindaRodelinda
74 Also found in Jeppesen, Pp. .it., p. 45.
75In appendix of FCE and also found in William ThomasBest, editor, Fifty Arias y Handel.
76Bass role. 77Tenor Role.
78Also found in W. G. Whittaker, editor, Arias fromHandel's Italian Operas.
791bid.
Range
d'-a' 'Ie'-a'1 f
O# -e'' Ig t-b'' I
10/180
/212
4678/117
93
/198
65/174
35/149
70
f'-ab''e'-ab''g'-af'I
896
103
f'-a''I
c '-d' 'I
f'-a' f
116
Role
T'empio rigo0 del fato vilonon potra Rodelinda
Morrai s l'empia tuatesta 82Rodelinda
Ombre, piante, urne funeste82 RodelindaRitorno, oh caro dolce mio
tesoro, a dar0 RodelindaSe il mio duol non e s forte RodelindaSpietati; io vi giurai 4 Rodelinda
Duets
Io t' abbraccio, e piu chemorte aspro
Se il cor si perde, ob caro86
Range
dl-Bbf
d'I-g#' 'Ig#'-a''I
f'ab''f'-ab''
RodelindaBertarido8 5RodelindaBertarido
Rodro (1707), HCE Vol. 56
Arias
Alle glorie, alle palmeBegl' occhi dgl mio ben,
dal lucidoO7Cosi, m' alletti, cosi
sei cara a meDolce amor, che mi consolaEgli e tuo!Empio fato e fiera sorteFredde ceneri d'amorHeroica fortezza
Florinda
Florinda
EvaneoRodrigo(c)EsilenaEsilenaFlorindaEvaneo
8OAlso found in W. G. Whittaker, editor, Arias fromHandel's Italian Loeras.
81Ibid. 82Ibid. 8 3Ibid.
8 4 AIso found in William Thomas Best, editor, FiftyArias by Handel.
85 Contralto role. 86 1n appendix of HCE.87Also found in Otto Dresel, editor, Handel Arien
fttr Sopran.
Arias Page
8
2924
659145
72
112
74+e'-Bb'I
d- ' -g'I
e'-ab''
g-g''
875854625827
e'-g#'
117
Arias
Il dolce foco Mio88
In mano al mio sposoLucide stella ^Nasce ii solOh morte VendettaParto, crudely, si partoPer dar pregio all' amor mioPerche viva i caro sposaPrestami un solo dardoPugneran con noi le stelleSi che lieta goderoSiet azzai superbe, oh stelleSommi, Dei! se pur v'offesiSu! all'armi grida NemesiTi lascio a la penaVanne in campo, e vedrai
Role
EvaneoEsilenaEvaneoEsilenaFlorindaEsilenaEsilenaEsilenaevaneoRodrigo(c)EsilenaRodrigo (c)Rodrigo(c)EvaneoRodrigo(c)Rodrigo(c)
Duets
Prendo L'alma prendo il core EsilenaRodrigo(c)
Scipione (1726), HCE Vol. 71
Arias
Bella notte senza stelleCom' onda incalza altr'ondaDolci aurette che spirateGia cessata e la procellaLibera chi non e i lacci
del suo pie0Mi par sognor di posseder8 9Scioglio d' immota fronte
nel torbido elementoSi fuggano i tormentiUn caro amanteVarme, parti, audaceVoglio cententa allor
serbar del pie
BereniceBereniceBerenice3erenice
ArmireBerenice
I3ereniceBereniceBereniceBerenice
Armira
Handel Arien
8 9The aria is unfinished in HCE.
R an ge
f '-a' Ig' -a''
d'-a' If'-.g''1dt.-gI'I
f#' -a','ff'I-abf'-g'' 1
89259515335640805l13705931722438
g '-a''d'-g'' I 91
g ' -ab 'Ie'-ab''e'-a t t
g'-f#''td I-a '
'-g''d-a I
e'-a''1
96492384
19135
63109
1128
55
88 Also found in Otto Dresel, editor,ftir Sopran.
118
Arioso
Tutta raccolta ancor
Role
Berenice
Recitative
Oh sventurati affetti Berenice
Serse (1738), HCE Vol. 92
Arias
Amor, tiranno AnorChi cede al furore di
stelle rubelleCrude furie degl' orride
abissaDira che amor per me9 0
E'gelosia quella tirannaE' tormento troppo fieroI core spera e teme penando
ogn'or cosiIo le diro che 1'amo ne
mi sgomentaroMeglio in voi col mio partiriYon so se sia la spemePer rendermi beatoPiu che penso alle
fiamme del coreQuella che tutta fe per me
languia d'amoreSe bramate d'amarSe l'idol mio rapir mi vuoiPSi, la voglio e la otteroSi, si, mio ben si, si, io
vivo per te solUn cenno leggiadretto9lVal piu contento coreVoi mi dite che non l'almi
Arsamene
Romilda
Serse(c)AtalantaRomildaSerse(c)
Serse(c)
Serse (c)ArsamaneArsamaneSerse(c)
Serse(c)
Ar s amaneSerse(c)RomildaArsamane
AtalantaAtalantaRomilda.Atalanta
90Also found in W. G. Whittaker, editor, Arias fromHandel's Italian Operas.
91Also found in Ernest V. Wolff, editor, Handel'sFifteen Arias for ih Voice, p. 70.
g'-ab''
g'..gb'' 23
e' -e''
e' -e''
e' -g ''
c'-Bf'
e'-f'
' -e t .1K e-g'
e'-g''I
f '.a -f''b'-abf'I
d#'-g# t
e'-a''I91fi-g''
98
89
113586556
78
14213996
34
71614476
17468778
41
'I
t
119
Ariettas
Di tacere e di schernirmi92
Ne men con l'ombred'infedelta 93
No, se tu mi sprezzi9+Va godendo vezzoso e bello
Role
Serse(c)
RomildaAtalantaRomilda
Ariosos
A piangere o n'oraOmbra mai fu 50 voi che senate!Per dar fine alla mia pena
AtalantaSerse(c)RomildaArsamane
Duets
Gran pena e gelosia
L'amero
Troppo oltraggi la mia fede
Serse(c)6Amastre96RomildaSerse(c)RomildaArsamane
Recitatives
Frondi tenereL'amero? non fia vero
Serse(c)Romilda
92Also found in Knud Jeppesen, editor, La Flora, I,
p.
9 3 Also found in W. G. Whittaker, editor, Arias f romHandel's Italian pe~ras
94Ibid.
9 5 Also found in Earhart and Laforge, Pathways ofSongs, II, p. 57, Jeppesen, o cit., I, p.' 2, andEbenezer Prout, editor, Songs and Airs _y G. F. Handel.
96Alto role.
Range Page
22
249412
e'-af'I
f'-eb''
g'-g''f
556
1074
g -g''
e '-g''60
106
eb'.g''6
65
120
Siroe (1728), HCE Vol. 75
Role
Ch' lo mai vi possaDogni amator la fede e
sempre mal sicuraLa mia speranza diceva al
coreL'aura non semrre spira a
favore di nove0Mi lagnero tace do97Yon vi piacque90 placido ii mare lusinga
la spondaOr mi perdo di speranzaSe il coro figlio vede
in periglioSgombra dell' anima tutto
ii timorTorrente cresciuto99Vedeste mai sul prato
Sosarme (1732),
Emira
Emira
Emira
LaodiceLaodiceEmir a
LaodiceLaodice
Laodice
EmiraLaodiceEmira
ECE Vol. 81
Arias
Dide pace , e fulminate 1Rend' II sereno al clgliol 00
Vola l'augello del caronido, ma sempre fido
Vorrei, ne pur soprei
ElmiraElmira
ElmiraElmira
Arioso
Padre, germano, e sposo Elmira e'-a''I 42
9 7 Also found in W. T. Best, editor, Fifty Arias _Handel.
984Ibid.
99Also found in Otto Dresel, editor, Handel Arien fttrSoprano.
100Also found in W. T. Best, op. cit., and Earbartand LaForge, Path of Songs, I, p. 52.
Arias Page
87d#t-gt 'I
e '-g''
e'-g''I
eb'-a''e'-a''Ie '-g#' 'I
Of'-a''
e'-a''Ie'-g''eb'_g' '
98
654267
2137
72
49?30
3812
8096
f '-a''f#'-g ' ' t
d#' -a'' Ig'-Bb'
121
Duets
Per le porte del tormentopassan l'anime
Tu caro sei il dolcemio tesora
Role
Elmira 101Sosarme
ElmiraSosarme
Tamerlano (1724), HCE Vol.
Arias
Cor di padrel02
Crudel piu non son ioDeh! Lasciatemi il nemicol03
No che sei tanto costantenella fede
Non e piu tempoPadre volte amatoPar che mi nasca in senolO4Se non mi vuol amarSe potessi un di placare
Asteria.IreneAsteria
IreneAsteriaAsteriaIreneAsteriaAsteria
Arioso
Folle sei, se lo consenti Asteria et-Bbt ' 116
Duets
Vedro ch'un di si cangera
Vivo in te, mio caro bene
Irene 0 d'-e'Tamerlanol05
Asteria d'-a''Andronicol06
10 1Alto role.
1 0 2 Also found in W. G. Whittaker, editor, Arias from
Handel's Italian Operas.
103Ibid. 10Ibid.
105Alto role.
10 6 Contralto role.
f'-att
60
102
69
d'-ab' I
c'-d''Ie#'-g#''I
c'-d''Ie'-a''fe '-a ''I
e-a''I
90107
28
8449
134582086
123
102
Recitatives
?arbaro! or manca soloil morir mio
Mirami, io quella son chegia due volte
Padre, amante, di voi
Asteria
AsteriaAsteria
Bb-' flt 141
Trio
Eccoti il cor, saro contenta AsteriaTamerlanoBajazet'07
Teseo (1713), HCE Vol. 60
Ar i as
Amarti si vorrei, 1 ciello sa
Dal cupo baratro veniteDeh serbateDeh! v'aprite, oh luci belleE'pur balloIl ciel gia se compiaceMNadora 1'idol mioNoriro, ma vendicataNon so piu che bramar0 stringero nel sen quel
ben ch'adoroQual tigro e qual Negera
1'impresseQuanto ch' a me sian careQuell'amor, ch'e nato a forzaRisplendetoS'armi il fatoSibillando, ululando
atterrate la rivalSi t'amo, oh caroTengo in pugno, l'idol mioTicredo, si ben mioVieni, torna, idol miol08
AgileaMedeaAgileaAg ileaAgileaMinervaAg ileaMedeaTeseo (c)
Medea
Teseo(c)Teseo (c)MedeaCliziaTeseo (c)
MedeaAg ileaTeseo(c)CliziaAg ilea
10 7Tenor role.
108Also found in W. G. Whittaker, editor, Arias from
Fandel's Italian peras.
122
Role Range
e'-g''133116
79
8376147410
106259045
8144321+
59
65100
961756
f#'-a''f
F#'-a' 'Ig'-g''
g '-g'',
d'-abt
e'-g''I
eb' f Idt-g''
g' -g' e ' f#'f'
f 1-.9' 'f'f' I
f#'-g''t
123
Ariosos
Chi ritorna alla mia menteDolce riposo
Role.
Teseo(c)Yedea
Duets
Addio! mio caro bene CliziaArcanel09
Cara! io dono in pegno il corThseo(c)Agila
Si ti lacio, altromore io chiudo
Unito a un puro affetto
Recitatives
Es sent i del mio sdegnoIra, sdegni, e furoreOmbre, sortite dall'eterna
notte
MedeaEziol 0
Cli ziaArcane
Mede aMedea
Medea
Tolomeo (1728), HCE Vol. 76
Arias
Aure, portate al carobene le tante pene
Dite, che fa, doveFonti amiche, aure leggiereI mio core non apprezza
volgar fiamma 0Io vo di duolo in dualo"'Mi volgo ad ogni frondaParmi che giunta in porto 1 1 2
Quanto e felicequell'augelletto
Quell'onda, che si frangeSenza il suo bene la
tortorella sospiraSe talor miri un fior che
non puo germogliar
SeleuceSeleuceSeleuce
El isaCleopatraSeleuceSeleuce
ElissaBlisa
Seleuce
Elissa
110Ibid.10 9Alto role
lllIn appendix of HCE. 112Ibid.
Range
eb'g' Itd'-g'' I
7930
g '-g'
~ttg#'- a'
19
g'-g''35
103
105,47
63
-a
f'-g''
f#'-a'f -.a'e -g'
364+624
42901692
3413
65
19
d'-g''e'-g#''I
Page
f '~g -I''S '-f '' I
f 1-g''
'''
I ' - I I'
Arias
Ti pentiraiTorni omai la pace all'almaVoglio amore o pur vendetta
Arioso
Voi dolci aurette al cor
Duets
Se il cor ti perde
Tutto contento or godequest alma innamorata
SeleuceTolomeoll3
SeleuceTolomeo
"13Contralto role.
124
Role
ElisaSeleuceElissea
Range
d'-g''g '. -g''d'-g'' I
Page
687562
Elisa 31
f #'-g#
el9 ' Ig
51+
81
d'-g'' I
APPENDIX IV
SOPRANO ARIAS, DUETS AND RECITATIVES IN
ALPHABETICAL ORDER VJITF CORR RESPONDING
OPERA AND LOCATIONII4
AriasI 5
Abbruggio avvampo e framo(c)Affanni del pensierAh! crudel il pianto mioAhi perche, guisto cielAh mio corlA! non son io che parloA! spietato!Ai Greci questa spada sovra i
nemice estinti(c)Ai guard tuoi son pur vagaAl furor che ti consiglia
ad AugustoAlla fama, dimmi il vero!Alla sua gabbia d'oro suol
ritornar talorAlle glorie, alle palmeAllor che sorge astro lucente(c)Amante stravagante piu del
mio ben, non v'eAmarti si vorreiAma, sospiraAmor commanda(c)Amor e qual ventoAmor, tiranno amor
Operas
RinaldoOttoneRinaldoRodelindaAlcinaEzioAmad igi
DeidamiaRiccardo
ArminioOttone
AlessandroRodrigoIl Pastor Fido
FlavioTeseoAlcinaFloridanteOrlandoSerse
Locationhl6
V.58,p.68/176V.66,p.39V.5 8 ,p.72/18 3V.70,p.89V.86,p.82V.80,p.103V.62,p.17
V.947p.106V.74A1,p.53
V.89,p.48V.66,p.61
V.72,p.78V.56,p.74V.59,p.33
V.67,p.32V.60,p.83V.86,p.70V.65,p.102V.82,p.84V.92,p.98
ll4Also includes ariosos, ariettas, trios and quartets.
115Castrati arias are indicated by (c).
116Refers to HCE.
125
Location
Apri le luci, e mira gli ascosiAugelletti , che contateAugelletti ruscellettiAure, por tate al caro
bene le tante peneAvvertite mie pupille
Bacia per me la mano delcaro idolo mio
Barbara: io ben lo so(c)Barbaro, partiroBeglocchi del mio benBell notte senza stelleBella pur nel mio dilettoBella, tuo non ho
me'sdegno ne rigorBel piacere e godereBel piacere e godere fido amorBench'io non sappia ancorBlinder SchtitzBrilla nell' alma un non
inteso anchor
Cara speme(c)Cara sposa, amante caraCaro Amor sol per momenti(c)Caro padreCara sposa(c)Caro vieni a me!Che bel contento sarabbe amore(Che sara quando amante
accarezza(c)Che tirannia d'amor fuggirChi ben ama(c)Chi cede al furore di
stella rubelleChi m'insegna il carol padre(c)Chi piu mi piace io voglioChi possessore e del mio coreChi sa, mia spemeChi t'intende? o cieca
instabile!Ch'io lasci mai d'amare il
carol mia teseroChtio mai vi possa l'asciar
d ' amoreCol peso del tuo amorColl'ardor del tuo bel caro(c)Combatti da forte
Ariodante V.85,p.13Rinaldo V. 58 ,p.31/147Il Pastor Fido V.59,p.14
Tolomeo V.76,p.35Berenice V.90,p.88
Riccardo V.74,p.98Alcina V.86,p.136Radamisto V.63,p. /187Rodrigo V.56,p.94Scipione V.71,p.96Agrippina V.57,p.82
Riccardo V.74,p.22Rinaldo V.58,p.97Agrippina V.57,p.121Atalanta V.87,p.59Almira V.55,p.86
Alessandro V.72,p.102
Giulio Cesare V.68,p.36Rinaldo V.58,p.39/152Il Pastor Fido V.59,p.30Ezio V.80,p.13Radamisto V.63,.17Riccardo V.74 ,p.49
c) Flavio V.67,p.21+
Perenice V.90,p.10Alessandro V.72,p.74Faramondo V.91,p.14
Serse V.92,p.89Alcina V.86,p.25Almira V.55,p.11Orlando V.82,p.24Almira V.55,p45
Berenice V.90,p.75
Amadigi V.62,p.69
Siroe V.75,p.87Agrippina V.57,p.90Agrippina V.57,p.111Rinaldo V.58,p.7
126
Arias Operas
127
Arias
Combattuta da due ventiCome ii candore d'intalla neveCome, se ti vedro cara,
Partir potre?(c)Com'onda incalza alti'ondaConsaggio tuo consiglio(c)Consolami se bramiCor di padre, e cor d'amanteCor ingrato, ti rammembriCoroscero, se brami ch'io t'amiCosi guista e questa
speme che se l'1almaCosi m'alletti, cosi
sei cara a meCredete al mio doloreCrude furie degl'orride
abissa(c)Crudel pur non sen io, amarlo
FaramondoPoro
Muzio ScevolaScipioneAgrippinaDeidamiaTamerlanoRinaldoFar amondo
Orlando
RodrigoAlcina
SerseT amerlano
Da lusinghe, di dolcezzanon fatica non asprezza Deidamia
Da tanti affanni oppressa AdmetoDa tempeste il legno infrante Giulio CecDa tu parto, ma concedi
ch'il mio duolo FlaviGDa tuoi begl'occhi impara GiustinoD'allor trionfante si
cinga la fronte Il PastorD'amor nei primi instanti
facili son gli'amanti DeidamiaDal cupo baratro ventie TeseoDeh! fuggi un traditore(c) RadamistoDeh! lascia un tal desio
t prego AriannaDeh! lasciatemi i nemico TamerlanoDeh! v'aprite, oh luci belle TeseoDeb! serbate TeseoDer Fimmel wird strifen AlmiraDer Mund sprichte zwargezwingen:
Nein AlmiraDestero dall'empia dite ogni
furia a farvo guerra AmadigiDel mio sol vezzosi rai(c) AriodanteDi, cor mio, quanto t'amai AlcinaDi goder il bel ch'adore
si lusinga Il PastorDi notte il pellegrino RiccardoDi Re sdegnato l'ir, tremenda(c) SiiistinoDi te mi rido, semplice stolto(c)Alcina
sare
Location
V.91,p.62V.79,p.115
V.647,p.33V.71,p.49V.57,p.9V.94,p.126V.69,p.90V. 58,p. 42V.91,p.10
V.82,p.80
V. 56,p.87V.86 ,p.110
V.92,p.ll3V.69,p.107
V.94,p.20V.73,p.66V.68,p.117
V.67,p.63V.88,p.13
Fido V.59,p.60
V.94,p.58V.60 ,p.76V.63,p. /122
V.83,p.15V.69,p.28V.60,p.74V.60,p.14V.55,p.69
V. 55,p.40
V.62,p.71V.85,p. 45V. 86,p,.22
Fido V.59,p.21V.74,p.37V.88,p.95V.86,p.27
128
LocationArias
Dica il falso, dica il versDide pace, e fulminateDigli, ch'io son fedeDimmi, crudele amoreDir 1i potessi vidiDira che amor per me piagato
il cor non gli haDite, che fa, doveDogni amator la fede e
sempre mal sicuraDolce Amor, che mi consela(c)Dolce bene di quest' alma(c)Dolci aurette che spirateDopo il nembo e la procella(c)Dopo l'ombre d'un fiero sospettoDopo 1'orride procelleD'una torbida sorgente
nasce il rio
E che ci posso far, se nonti posso amar
EI gelosia quella tirannaE per monti e per piano e
per selveE'pur bellE si vaga del tuo beneE'tormento troppo fiero(c)E un foco quel d'amoreE' un incendio fra due venti(c)E'vil segno d'un debole moreEgli e tuo!Empio fato e fiera sorte
Fa quanto vuoi, 1i scherni tuoiFalsa imagineFaro cosi riu bella la bella
fede miaFato crudo, amor severo(c)Fatemi, oh cieli, almenFerite, uccidete, ob
numri del ciel!(c)Finche un zeffiro soaveFinte labbia!Fonti amiche, aure leggiereFredda ceneri d'amorFurie terribill!
AlessandroSosarmePoroMuzio ScevolaOttone
SerseTolomeo
SiroeRodrigoRadamistoScipioneFloridanteFloridanteRadamisto
Lotario
AdmetoSerse
AdmetoTeseoImeneoSerseAgrippinaRinaldoArmbinioRodrigoRodrigo
AgrippinaOttone
AdmetoIl Pastor FidoRadamisto
RadamistoEzioIl PastorTolomeoRodrigoRinaldo
V.72,p.92V.81,p.38V.79,p.48V.61+,p.17V. 66 ,p.102
V.92,p. 58V.76,p.46
V. 75,p.14V.56,p.68V.63,p.84V.71,p.23V.65,p.3+V.65,p.19V.63,p.35
V.77,p.73
V.73,p.66V.92,p.65
V.73,p.66V.60,p.10V. 93 ,p. 56V.92,p.56V.57,p.40V.58,p.58V. 89 ,p.28V. 56 ,p.514V. 56,p.62
V. 57,p.45V.66,p.22
V.73,p.22V.59,p.13V.63,p. /170
V.63,p.22V.80,p.38
Fido V.59,p.35V.76,p.2 +
V. 56 ,p. 58V.'58,p.25
Gelosia, spietate AlettoGeloso tormento
AdmetoAlmira
V.73,p.69V. 55,p.28
129
Arias
Gia cessata e la procellaGioja venite in senGiunt in porto e la speranzaGode ltalma consolata
quella calmaGode l'alma innamorata
Heroica fortezzaHo un certo rossoreHo un non se che nel corHo perduto il caro sposo
Ich brenne zwar, dock ohne deinBewegen
Il ciel gia se compiaceIl core spera e teme penando
ogn'or cosi(c)Il dolce faco mio ch'accendeIl mio core non apprezza
volgar fiammaIl mio crudel martoro
crescer non puo di piuIl primo ardor e cosi caroIl sangue al cor favella amore(c)Il Tricerboro humiliato(c)Il tuo sangue, ed il tuo zelo(c)Il volo cosi fido al
colce amato nidoImpara a non temer dal. mio
costante amor(c)Ingannata una sol voltaIngrato mai non fuiIn mano al mio sposoIn mezzo a voi dui qui
lascio il mio coreIn quella, sota in quella
candida mano e bella(c)Io godo, scherzo e rido
crude, nel tuo dolorIo le diro che L' amo ne
mi sgomentaro(c)Io son qual Fenice risorte
dal focoIo son quella navicella.Io ti bacio, oh bella imagoIo ti bacio, e mano augusta.Io ti levo 1'empero dell'ArmiIo vo di duolo in duolo
ScipioneAmadig iOttone
OttoneFloridante
RodrigoOrlandoAgrippinaRodolinda
AlmireaTolomeo
SerseRodrigo
Tolomeo
AriodanteAriodanteArminioRinaldoAriod ante
Riccardo
ArirniiioAgrippinaImeneoRodrigo
Imeneo
e erenice
Ama digi
Serse
AdmetoImeneoAdmetoAriodantePartenopeTolomeo
Location
V.71,p.84V. 62,p. 28V.66,p.15
V. 66,p.110V.65,p.48
V. 56,p.27V.82,p.20V. 577,p.43V. 70,p.6
V. 55,p.112V. 76 ,p. 90
V.92,p.78V. 5 6 ,p.25
V. 76 ,p .42
V.85,p.93V.85, p.48V.89,p.80V.58,p.54V.857,p .87
V.74,p.l0
V. 89 ,p. 92V. 57,p.88
V.93,p.25V. 5 ,p.25
V.93,p.76
V.90,p.86
V.62,P.37
V. 92 ,p. 106
V.73,p.123V.93,p.102V.73,p.101V.85,p.108V.78,p.40V. 76 ,p. 90
130
Arias
Kochet, lhr Adern,Entzundete flache Almira
Location
V.55,p.9 6
La bella mano, cbe mi piagoLa bocca vaga(c)La cervetta nei lacci avoltaLa dove gli occhi io giroLa guistizia ha gia sull'arco(c)La mia speranza diceva al coreLa sorte, il ciel,
amor promettone(c)L'alma mia fra le tempesteL'amor, che per te sentoL'amor ed il destiny
conbattera per meLanton del mio tesero struiggo
l'amante cor(c)L'armi implora dal tuo figlioL'aquila altera conosce i figliLascia, ch'lio parta solo(c)Lascia, ch'lio piangaLascia le pace all'almaLascia pur amica spene
le tue peneLascioti, oh bella, il volto(c)Lassa ch'lio t'ho perdutoT'aure che soira tiranno
e fiero(cL'aura non sempre spira
a favor di noveL'empio rigor del fato
vilo non potraTiberi chi non e i lacci
del suo pieL'ingrato non amar(c)Luci care, addio, posateLucide stella, gemelle d'amorLungo pensar e dubitarLusinghe piu care
Ma chi punir desio?Ia quanto torneraiMa un dolce mio pensieroM'adora l'idol mioMai resa infelice,
che vanto n'avriM'allontano, sdegnose pupille(c)Meglio in voi col mio partiriMenti iterne che reggete
de'mortali
BereniceAlcinaAlessandroAdmetoGiulio CesareSiroe
RadamistoAgrippinaAlessandro
Part enope
II Pastor FidoAlessandroRiccardoAtalantaRinaldoRiccardo
RadamistoFloridanteAtalanta
Giulio Cesare
Siroe
Rodelinda
ScipioneRadamistoAdmetoRodrigoMuzio ScevolaAlessandro
FlavioAlcinaFloridanteTeseo
DeidamiaAtalantaSerse
Lotario
V.90,p. 52V.86,p.46V.72,p.84V.73,p.102V.68,p.113V.75,p.98
V.63,p.61V. 577,p.20V.72,p.110
V. 78,p .10
V. 599,p.20V.72,P.135V. 741,p.69V.87,p.5'9V.58 ,p.61/16 8
V.74 ,p.2 5
V.63,p. /151V.65,p.46V.87,p.33
V.68,p.89
V.75,p. /65
V. 70,.8
V.71,p.19V.63,p. /122V.73,p.13V. 56,p.95V.64,p.6V. 72 ,p. 20
V. 67 ,p. 58V.86,p.116V.65,p.10V.60, p.25
V.94 ,p.110V.87,p. 51V.92,p.21
V. 779,p.58
131
Arias
hi lagnero tacendo delmio destino avaro
Mi lusinga il dolce affetto(c)Mi palpita il core ne
indendo percheMi par sognor di possederMi parto lieta sulla tua fedeMi restano le lagrimeMi volgo ad ogni frendaMio bel tesoro(c)Yio caro bene! non ho
piu affani e peneMio dolce amiato sposoMirero quel vago voltoMolto voglio, molto spero(c)Moriro, ma vendicataMorrai si, l'empia tua testaMove i passi alle ruine
Nasce il sol, e laura vola rideNasconde l'usignoliin
alti rami iI nidoNeghittosi or voi che fate?Nel mio core ritorna
il contento(c)No che. sei tanto
costante nella fedeNo, che seruvie altruiLo, no, non voglio, noNo! non basta un
infedele lo straleNo, non piangete(c)No, piu soffrir non voglioNon chiedo, oh luci vagheNon credo instabile chi
mi piago(c)Non disperar; chi sa?Non e piu tempoNon ha diffesa(c)Non ho cor che per armartiNon potra dirmi ingrataNon sara poco, se il
mio gran foco(c)Non sara quest'alma miaNon sempre invendicata
10 restiro cosiNon si vanti un alma audace(c)Non son sempre vane larve(c)Non ti credo, non mi fido
Operas
SiroeAlcina
AriodanteScipioneFaramond.oAlcinaTolomeoAlcina
Rod elindaGiu-stinoRadamistoRinaldoTeseoRodelindaAlmira
Rodrigo
DeidamiaAriodante
Location
V.75,p.42V. 86,p.67
V.85,p.84V.71,p.135V.91,p .4V.86,p.129V.76,p.16V.86,p.75
V.70,p .103V.88,p. 57V.63,p.30V. 58 ,p.29/16 6
V.60,p.90V.70,p.29V.55,p.60
v.56,p.15
V.94,p.47V.85,p.102
Il Pastor Fido V.59,p.42
TamerlanoBereniceAlmira
Il Pastor FidoFloridanteAlessandroPartenope
FlavioGiulio CesareTamerlanoAr annaAgrippinaOrlando
AtalantaRadamisto
LotprioGiinstinoArminioDeidamia
V.69,p.84V.90,p.6V. 55,p. 55
V. 59,p.42V.65,p. 83V.72,p.33V.78,p.80
V.67,p.55V.68,p.21V. 69 ,p.49V.83,p.52V. 57,p.53V. 82 ,p.'58
V.87,p.23V.63,p.67/162
V.77,p.90V.88,p.+6V.89,p.22V.94,p.78
132
Arias
Non ti fidar, perche ildesire lusinga e ver!
Non vi piacque ingiusti DeiNon vuo perdere lustanteNulla sperar da me
Occbi belli, voi sol sieteOgni indugio d'un amante(c)Ogni vento ch'a~l porto lo spinga0 fiero e rio sospetto(c)0 quanto e caro amar0 placido il mare
lusinga la sponda0 s'apre al riso0 sumani il diletto0 stringere nel sen
quel ben ch'adoroOh care mio teser, deb!Oh care parolete,
oh dolci sguardiOh dolce mia speranzaOh morte VendettaOmbra cara di mia sposa(c)Ombre, piante, urne funesteOr mi perdo di speranzaOrrida a gl'occhi mieiPar che mi nasca in senoPar che voglia il ciel serenoPadre volte amatoParmi che giunta in portoParoletti, vezzi e sguardiParto, crudel, si parto, per darPensa ad amarePensieri, voi me tormentatePerche viva il caro sposaPer dar pregio all'amor mioPer rendermi beato(c)Piu che penso alle
fiamme del core(c)Piu non vuo tra si e noPoi che pria di morire
mi beo, pupille carePrestami un solo dardoPugneran con noi le stelle(c)
Qual farfaletta gira a quel lumeQual nave smarrita tra serti(c)Qual tigro e qual Megera
1'impresse(c)
Operas
Muzio ScevolaSiroeDeidamiaAgrippina
Il Pastor FidoRinaldoAgrippinaGinstinoFloridante
SiroeAlcinaRadami sto
TeseoAmadigi
OrlandoFloridanteRodrigoRadamistoRodelindaSiroeAriodanteTamerlanoAriannaTamerlanoTolomeoRinaldoRodrigoOttoneAgrippinaRodrigoRodrigoSerse
SerseAlmira
FaramondeoRodrigoRodrigo
PartenopeRadamisto
Location
V. 64,p.24V.75,p.67V.94,p.128V. 57,p.75
V. 59,p.32V. 58 ,p.10V. 57,p.105V.88,p.86V.65,p.5
V. 75',p. 21V.86,p.7V.63,p. /204
V.60,p.48V. 62 ,p.34
V.82,p.28V.65,p.12V.56,p.33V.63,p.43/143V.70,p.24V.75,p.37V.85,p.9V.69,p.58V.83,p.89V.69,p.134V.76,p.92V.58, p. /180V.5'6,p.56V.66,p.35V.57,p.94V.56 ,p.O80V. 56,p.40V.92,p.96
V.92,p.34V.55,p.31
V. 91, p. 60V.56 ,p.51V. 56 ,p.13
V.78,p.81V.63,p.102
V.60,p.81Te-Pseo
133
Arias
Quando accenderan quel pettoQuando invita la
donna 1'amante(c)Quando non vede la care madreQuanto ch'a me sian care(c)Quanto dolce amor sariaQuanto dolci, quanto care
son le giojeQuanto e felice
quell'augellettoQuanto godra, allor che mi vedQuanto ingannata e quellaQuel cor, che mi donastiQuel gelsominoQuel torrente che s'inualza
sulla spondaQuell'amor, ch'e nato a forzaQuell'innocente affletto
core, fedele amoreQuell'oggete, ch'e caro
a chi adoro(c)Quell'onda, che si frangeQuella che tutta fe
per me languia d'amoreQuella fiamma, ch'il
petto m'accende(c)Quillt, ihr uberhguften Zahren
Rend'il sereno al ciglioRendimi il dolce aposo due
vite io ti dovraRiportai gloriosa palmaRisplendeto, amiche stelleRitorna adesso amor con
la speranza in senRitorno, oh carol e dolce
mio tesoro, a darRivel ti sono, ma son fedel(c)
Stadopri il braccio armatoSanera la piaga un diSappi, crudel, io t'amoS'armi il fato s'armi amore(c)Scaglian amore e sangueScherza in mar la navicellaSchdnste Rosen und NarcissenScioglio d'immota fronte
nel torbido elemento
Deidamia
Agr ipp inaRiccardoTeseoAlessandro
Flavio
Tolomeora Admeto
DeidamiaLotarioRiccardo
GItstinoTeseo
Riccardo
BereniceTolomeo
Serse
ArminioAlmira
So sarme
ArminiaAtalantaTeseo
Location
V. 94 ,p .29
V. 57,p.92V.74),p.125V. 60,p.44V.72,p.17
V.67,p.10
V.76,p.34V, 73,p.49V.94,p.101V.77,p.30V.74,p.46
V.88,p.80V.60,p.32
V.74,p.89
V.90,p.29V. 76 ,p.13
V.92,p.71
V.89,p.52V. 55,p.82
V.81, p.12
V.89,p.64V.87,p.21V.60,p.54
Il Pastor Fido V.59,p.50
RodelindaFaramondo
RadamistoAlmiraFaramondoTeseoArminioLotarioAlmira
Scipione
V.70,p.65V.91,p.23
V.63,p.78V. 55,p.67V.91,p.106V.60,p. 59V. 89 ,p .14V.77,p.87V. 55,p.13
V.71,p.63
134
LocationArias
Sdegno, amore fanneguerra a questo core
Se a'piedi tuoi morroSe ben mi lusinga l'infida
seranza, se pur(c)Se bramate d'amar(c)Secondaste al fineSe fedel vuoi ch'io ti credaSegni di crudelta del
fiero sposo avrai(c)Seguir di selva in selva
la fuggitiva belva(c)Se il ciel mi divide
dal caro mio sposoSe il caro figlio
vede in periglioSe il mio duol non e si forteSe il timore il ver
mi dice infeliceSei mia gioja, sei mia beneSe l'idol mio rapir mi vuoiSe mai turbo 11 tuo reposoSe mi rivolgo al piatoSemplicetta, la saetta
non intendi ancor d'amoreSempre dolciSe nasce un rivolettaSe nel bosco resta solo
rusignolo col suo cantoSe non mi vuol amarSento, che un giusto sdegno
mi sprona a vendicarmiSen vola io sparviserSenza il suo bene
la tortorella sospiraSe pensi amor tu solo per
vezzo e per belta(c)Se peri l'amato beneSe pieta di me non sentiSe potessi un di placareSe quinge un dispettoSe ria procella
sorge nell onde(c)Se ricordar ten vuoiS'estinto e l'idol mioSe talor miri un fior che
non puo germogliarSe troppo crede al ciglio
colul che va per I'onde
Arianna V.83,p.31+Faramondo V.91,p.68
Faramondo V.91,p.44Serse V.92,p.61Il Pastor Fido V.59,p.63Orlando V.82,p.32
Radamisto V.63,p. /137
Deidamia V.94,p.27
Poro V.79,p.58
Siroe V.75,p.72Rodelinda V.70,p.91
Deidamia V.941 ,p.63Partenope V.78,p.31Serse V.92,p.44Poro V.79,p.19Orlando V.82,p.46
Imeneo V.93,p.46Berenice V.90,p.40Atalanta V.87,p.54
Arianna V.83,p.82Tamerlano V.69,p.20
Faramondo V.91,p.34Admeto V.73,p.40
Tolomeo V.76,p.65
Deidamia V.94,p.32Riccardo V.74,p.10Giulio Cesare V.68,p.83Tamerlano V.69,p.86Agrippina V.57,p.57
Faramondo V.91,p.lOlImeneo V.93,p.85Armadigi V.62,p.46
Tolomeo V.76,p.19
V.79,p.71Poro
135
Arias
Se tu brami di godere AmadigiSe vuoi pace, e volto amato AgrippinaSgombra dell'anima tutto
il timor SiroeSi, caro, si, ti stringo
al fin cosi AdmetoSi che desio quel che tu
brami maggiar legami DeidamiaSi che lieta godere RodrigoSi fuggano i tormenti ScipioneSi e la voglio e la ottero SerseSi, I'intendesti FaramondoSi, mr'appaga si, m'alletta
quell vaga collinetta(c) DeidamiaSi, m'e caro imitar quel
bel fiore AlessandroSi morro, ma l'onor mio meco AriodanteSi, scherza, si sempre
Amor con doppia face PartenopeSi, si, mei raccordero(c) AtalantaSi., si, mio ben si, si,
io vivo per te sol SerseSi t'amo, oh caro TeseoSibillando, ululando
atterrate la rival TeseoSiet azzai superbe, oh stelle(c) RodrigoS'io dir potessi al mio crudele OttoneSirti, scogli, tempeste, procelle
m'additan le stelle(c) FlavioSo ch'e vana la speranza RadamistoSo che non e piu mio
m'abbandono l'ingrato(c) AriannaSommi, Dei! se pur vtoffesi(c) RodrigoSon come navicella Il Pastor FidoSon oual stanco pellegrino AriannaSospiro, e vero FloridanteSotto il lauro che
hai sul crine(c) AgrippinaSpera allor, che in mar turbato AdmetoSpera e godi, oh mio tesoro PartenopeSpero placare quel caro volto RadamistoSpero, si mi dice i core OttoneSpietati; io vi giurai RodelindaSposo ingrato, parto si RadamistoSta nell Ircana pietrasa tana(c) AlcinaSu! all'armi grida Yemesi RodrigoSu caro si, ti stue, al fin cosi RinaldoSulle sponde di cocito EzioSvegliatevi nel core(c) Giulio Cesare
Location
V.62,p.63V. 577,p.133
V.75,p.49
V.73,p.ll5
V.94,p. 36V. 56,p.70V.71,p.109V.92,p.76V.91,p.51
V.94,p.92
V.72,p.100V.85,p.lll
V.78,p.120V.87,p.42
V. 92,p.17V. 607,p. 100
V.60,p.65V. 56,p.559V. 669,p.70
V. 67 ,p .70V.63,p. /174
V.83,p.55V. 567,p.34V. 59 ,p.17V.83,p.73V.65,p.31
V. 57,p.77V. 73 ,p.18V.78,p.95V.63,p.,58V.66,p.138V.70,p.45V. 63,p.90V.86,p.119V. 56,p.72V.58,p. /212V.80,p.114V. 687,p .17
Location
Tal'or d'ascuro velo ricopre(c)Tengo in pugno, I'idol mio(c)Ti credo, si ben mioTi lascio a la pena(c)Ti pentiraiTi pentirai, crudelTi rend.o questo cor, che ti
serbo 1'amorTornami a vegheggiarTorni omai la pace all'almaTorrente cresciuto
per torbida pienaTra queste care ombre graditeTraditore, traditore!Trema, tiranne, ancor dice
a ti il fato allorTroppo sofferse gia
questo mio pettoTubbato il mar si vede
consubita procellaTu ben degno sei dell'allorTu la mio stella seiTuo ben el trono, io nonTu solcasti ii mare infido
agitata navicella(c)Tutto brillante rai per
lungo scintillarTutto puo donna vezzosaTu vivi, e punito rimanga
l'eccesso(c)Tu vuoi ch'io parta
Un'aura placide e lusinghieradono le pene
Un caro amanteUn cenno leggiadrettoUn lusinghiero dolce pensieroUn vostro sguardo(c)
Va, combatti ancor da forteV'adoro, puppilleVaga e bella ogn'or vedraiVaghe perleVal piu contento coreVanne, che piu ti miroVanne in compo, e vedrai(c)Vanne lungi dal mio pettoVanne, partiVanne, sequi'l mio desio
AriannaTeseoTeseoRodrigoTolomeoAmadigi
GiinstinoAlcinaTolomeo
SiroeOttoneBerenice
Ottone
Radamisto
AriannaAgrippinaGiulio CesareAgrippina
Atalanta
RiccardoGiliio Cesare
AriodanteRadamisto
FaramondoScipioneSerseAl essandroGinstino
ArminioGiulio CesareRadamistoAgrippinaSerseFaramondoRodrigoAmadigiScipioneFloridante
V.83,p.26V. 60,p.96V. 60 ,p.?17V. 566,p.24V. 76,p.68V.62,p. 52
V.88 ,p.illV. 86 ,p. 51V.76,p.75
V. 75,p.98V.66,p.142V. 90 ,p. 58
V.66,p.84
V.63,p. /168
V.83,p.99V. 57,p.30V. 68 ,p.38V. 57 ,p.76
V.87,p.69
V.74,p.115V. 68 ,p.30
V.85,p.67V.63,p.ll
V.91 ,p.l109V. 71 ,p. 11V.92, p.46V.72,p.41V. 88 ,p.9
V.89,p.89V. 68 ,p. 56V. 63 ,p. 50V. 57 ,p.35V. 92 ,p .87V.91,p.19V. 56,p.35V.62,p.79V.71,p.28V.65,p.99
136
Arias
Location
Vanne, sorella ingrata(c) RadamistoVa, perfido DeidamiaVedeste mai sul prato SiroeVedrai, s'a tuo dispetto AlmiraVedro fra poco AdmetoVeneri bella Giulio CesareVeni, o figlio OttoneVenti, turbini(c) RinaldoVerdi piante OrlandoVerdi prati(c) AlcinaVe un infelice che per te more ImeneoVieni, corna idol mio TeseoVo! far guerra RinaldoVoglio amare insin ch' to moro PartenopeVoglio amore o pur vendetta
da chi l'alma TolomeoVoglio cententa allor serbar
del pie ScipioneVoglio che sia l'indegro
vittima del tuo sdegno(c) FaramondoVoglio dire al mio tesoro PartenopeVoi mi dite che non l'almi SerseVola l'augello del caro nido SosarmeVolate, amari, di due bei core AriodnateVod'kommene Hunde AlmiraVorrei, ne pur sopret SosarmeVuol ch'io serva amor la bella(c)Radamisto
Werthe schrift geliebte Zeilen Almira
V.63,p.65V.94,p.88V.75,p.30V.55,p.99V-73,p.84V.68,p. 76V.66,p.55V.58,p.46V.82,p.61V.86,p.94V.93,p.35V.60,p.56V. 58 ,p.78/17V.78,p.64
V. 76,p. 62
V.71,p.55
V.91,p.94V.78,p.l7V.92,p.78V.81,p.80V.85,p.23V. 55,'p.26V.81,p.96V.63,p. /146
V.55,p.loo
Ariettas
Di tacere e di schernirmi(c)Ne men con l'ombre d'infedeltaNo, se tu mi sprezziVa godendo vezzoso e bello
SerseSerseSerseSerse
V.92 ,p.22V.92,p.24V.92,p.91+V.92,p.12
Ar osos
A piangere ogn' oraAl varco, oh pastoriAl voler di tuo fortuna gia
Rosmone acconsentiAure, fonti, ombra graditeCare muraCare selva, ombre beate(c)Chi ritorna alla mia mente(c)Col celarvi(c)Corrispondi a chi t'adora(c)
SerseAtalanta
ImeneoAlessandroPartendpeAtalantaTeseoAlcinaFlavio
V.92,p.55V.87,p.18
V.93,p.101V.72,p.62V.78,p.63V.87,p.8V.60,p.79V. 86,p.55V.67,p.66
137
Arias
138
Ariosos
Custodite, o dolci osgniDolce riposoDue bell'alme inamorateEd innestar tu vuoiFolle sei, se lo consentiHo veleno e ferro avantiIo mia sento 1'alma in senLasciami! Tu sei fedele?(c)Ma chi sa, se mi riani
ii mio beneManca, oh Dei!Marte, vieni!Mio bel sol, dove t'aggiri(c)0 voi che penateOmbra mai fu(c)Padre, germano, e sposoPer dar fine alla mia penaPur che regai il figlio amatoQual piacer a un cor pietoso(c)Qual portento(c)Quando spieghi i tuoi tormentiRitornava al suo bel visoSi, me contario i CieloSi, tornero a morir(c)Sommi Dei(c)Spirto amato dell idol
mio deh raccogliTra speme e timore mi
palpita il coreTutta raccolta ancorVerdi lauri(c)Vezzi, lusinghe brioVoi dolci aurette al cor
At a plant aTeseoDeidamiaOrlandoTamerlanoArminioAmadigiDeidamia
DeidamiaAriodanteRiccardoBereniceSerseSerseSosarmeSerseOttoneAgrippinaAlcinaOrlandoOrlandoRiccardoFaramondoRadamisto
Poro
ArminioScipioneG0itstinoAriodanteTo omeo
Location
V.87,p.68V.60,p.30V.94,p.18V.82,p.77V. 69,p.116V.89,p.76V.62,p.89V.941,p.56
V.941,p.19V.85,p.125V.74,p.33V.90,p.49V.92,p.10V.92,p.6V.81,p.42V.92,p .74V.66,p.12V. 57,p.22V.86,p. 57V.82,p.43V.82,p.22V.74,p.33V.91,p.33V.63,p.6
V. 79,p.194
V.89,p.82V.71,p.41V.88,p.73V.85,p.6V.76,p.31
Duets"17
Addio mio caro beneAl trionfo del nostro furoreAma nell'armi, e nell'amar,
puoi degno in te mostrarAmar m'e forza ognorA'teneri affetti il
cor s'abbandoniBramo haver mille coriCangia al fine ii tuo rigor
TeseoRinaldo
DeidamiaAlessandro
OttoneAriodanteAmadigi
V.60,p.19V. 58 ,p.93/19 8
V.94,p.134V.72,p.125
V.66,p.118V.85,p. 126V.62,p.82
117:o duets were written for two castrati voices.(c) indicates one voice written for a castrati.
139
Duets
Cara io dono in pegno ii cor(c)Caro amico amplessoCaro, nel tuo bel labbra(c)Caro piu amabile belta mai nonCaro, tu mi accendi nelmio care dolce fiamma(c)Caro, vieni al mio senoCrudel, tu non forsiDeh, taci, crudelEd io per teFermati' Armida son fedel(c)Finche prendi ancor il sangueGran pena e gelosia(c)Ich will gar von nichten wissenIo t'abbraccio, e piu
che morte asproIl fuggir cara mia vitaL'amero(c3
Le dirai(c)Ma come amar?Mein Betruben, masa verschwindenMia dolce spene(c)Mira adesso questo
seno piu serenoNon ho piu affani no in
braccio del mio bene(c)Notte cora! a te si
dove il trionfoOh Dei, che vuoi? Faci!(c)Per le porte del tormento
passan l'anime a gioirPer le porte del tormento
passan l'animePer te, mio dolce bene(c)Prendi de auesta mano il pegnoPrendo l'lma prendo ii core(c)Quando piu minaccia il CieloQuella fede, quel volto(c)Ritorna nel core
vezzosa brillianteScherzano sul tuo volto(c)Se 11 cor si perde, caroSe il cor ti perdeSe il mio amor fu il tuo delittoSe mai piu caro gelosoSe rinasce nel mic corSe teco vive il cor cara(c)Se ve bellezza in me, son belleSi, prode amante, tu sei gradito
Operas
TeseoPoroAtalantaGiulio Cesare
FaramondoPoroAmadigiAriannaPartenopeRinaldoOrlandoSerseAlmira
RodelindaArminioSerseBereniceMuzio ScevolaAlmiraGinstino
Arianna
Radamisto
OttoneAtalanta
Imeneo
SosarmeIl Pastor FidAriodanteRodrigoArminioBerenice
ArminioRinaldoRodelindaTolomeoBerenicePoroAriodanteRadamistoAlessandroLotario
Location
V. 601,p.84V.79,p.42V. 87,p.75V.68,p.128
V.91,p.86V.79,p.96V.62,p.55V.83,p.80V.78,p.30V. 58,p.65A74V.82,p.93V.92,p.85V. 55,p.35
V. 70 ,p. 72V. 89,p.6V. 92 ,p.60V.90,p.84V. 64,p.60v.55,P.113V.88,p.66
V.83,p.107
V.63,p. /201
V. 66 ,p. 78V.87,p.37
V.93,p.105
V.81,p.60a V. 9,p.66
V.8 5 ,p.20V. 56 ,p.91V.89,p.77V.90,p.92
V.89,p.99V. 58,p.35/14 9V.70,p.112V. 76,p.81V. 90 ,p.32
V. 79,p.34V.85,p.52V.63,p.74V.72,p.126V.77,p.118
Duets
Si ti lacio, altro amorelo chiudo
Son d'Amore vella face calma'Son nato a sospirarSpera, spera io gia md pento(c)Spielet, ihr blitzenden AugenT'ealmo, si e p'u m 'appagaTi perdone, oh caro beneTroppo oltraggi la mia fedeTu caro sei il dolce mio teseroTutto contento or gode
quest alma innamorataVado e vivo con la speranza(c)Vedro chtun di sicangeraVivo in te, mio caro beneVivo senza alma, oh bella(c)Unito utni uro &ffetto, non si
Location
TeseoAlessandroGiulio CesareAriodanteAlmiraRiccardoFlavio3erseSosarme
TolomeoFaramondoTamerlanoTamerlanoVuzio 3cevolaTeseo
V.60 ,p.35V. 72 ,p. 52V. 68 ,p .948V.85,p*120V. 551,p.1o9V. 74 ,.72V.67,. 79.92,p.106V.81,p.102
V.76,p.81V.91,p.80V.69,p.123V.69,p.102V.641,p.54V.60 ,p.10 3
Recitatives
A me impudicaAdmeto, traditor, iniquo amanteAddio, crudo AmadigiAh, padre! Ah, Cielo!Ah! Ruggiero crudelAlto inmenso roterBarbaro or manca solo
il morir mioChe fo? dove ml volgoChe mirai? (for two voices)Che sento? oh, Dio!Dunque i lacci d'un voltoEssenti del mio sdegnoFrondi tenere(c)Io d'altro regnoIre, sdegni, e furoreL'amero? non fia veroLascia, Berardo, lasciami!Mircmi io auella son
che gia due volteMiratila, che arriva
cinta di negromanteMlisera, dove son!0 grati orrori!Ch Guido! oh mio tirannoOh! hirtilo, I irtillo!
mal grado T'amor mioCh sventurati affetti
AriodanteAdrne toAmadigiRiccardoAlcinaAiccardo
Tamerlan oE'Zio
AlessandroGiulio CesareTRinaldoTeseoSerseNuzio ScevolaTeseoSerseRdiccardo
Tamerlano
ImeneoEzioOttoneFlavio
II Pastor FidoScipione
V.85,p.92V. 73 ,p.16V.62,p.82v.74,p.1+5V.86, p .97V. 74,p.92
V. 69,p.41V.80,p. 52V.72,p.15V.68 ,p.82V. 589,p. 70V.60,p.105V.92,p.6V. 64,p.1 6
V. 60,p.47V.92,p.65V. 71+),p.5'
V.69,p.133
V.93,p.98V.80 ,p.102V.66,p.68V. 67,p.73
V. 59,p.65V. 71,p.23
Olels
Recitatives
Ombre, sortite d311'eterna notttePadre, amante, di voiQuanto diletto avea tra
qupesti boschiSommo rettor del CieloSoglio, digli avi mieiSolitudini amateSpegni, oh supreno Regnator
di Numi (for two voices)Vilipses beilezzeVoi, che mio fide ancelle
Triosll8
All amist2:. f edelBramando uscir di peneEccoti il cor, saro contentoGentil pastorella
on e amor , ne gelosia(c)
TesoTamerlano
Orf andoLotarioLotarioAlessandro
AlessandroAlessendroGiulio Cesare
Ales sandroImeneoT amerlanoOrlandoAlcina
Location
V. 60,p.63V.69,p.ll6
V.82,p.17V.77,p.72V.77,p.21V.72,p.60
V.72,p.123V.72 ,p.37V.68,p.115
V.72,p.129V.93,p.68V.69,p.79V.82,p.38V. 86 ,p.140
ll8There is only one trio for which one voice waswritten for a castrati and it is indicated by (c).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
Blom, Eric, Everyman' s Dic tionar of Music, London,J. M. Dent &Sons, Ltd., 19+6.
Brockway, Wallace, and Weinstock, Herbert, Men of Music,New York, Simon and Schuster, 1939.
Brockway, Wallace, and Weinstock, Herbert, The Opera,New York, Simon and Schuster, 1941.
Burney, Charles, A General History of Music, Vol. II,London, Harcourt, Brace and Co., 1935.
Dent, Edward J., Handel, New York, A. A. Wyn, Inc., 1939.
Flower, newman, George Frederic Handel, New York, CharlesScribner's Sons, 1948.
Grout, Donald Jay, A Short History of Orem, Vol. I, NewYork, Columbia University Press, 1947.
Haas, Robert, Auffithrungspraxis, Potsdam, E. Bucken, 1934.
Hawkins, Sir John, A General Histor of the Science andPractice of Music, Vol. V, London, T. Payne andSon, 1776.
Leichtentritt, Hugo, Handel, Berlin, Deutsche Verlags, 1924.
Lowenberg, Alfred, Annals of Opera 1292-1940, Tew York,?roude Bros., 9
Ramsay, Dean, On the Genius of Handel, Edinburgh andLondon, William Blackwood and Sons, 1862.
Rockstro, W. S., The Life of George Frederic Handel, London,Macmillan & Co. ,173.
Rolland, Romain, Handel, London, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubnerand Co., 1916.
Sanborn, Pitts, and Hilb, Emil, The Metroolitan Book of theOpera, New York, Simon and Schuster, 1938.
142
143
Streatfield, R. A., Handel, London, The Macmillan Co., 1909.
Streatfield, R. A., The Opera, New York, E. P. Dutton &
Co., 1925.
Weinstock, Herbert, Handel, New York, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,
1946.
Williams, Charles Francis Abdy, Handel, London, J. M. Dent& Sons, Ltd., 1935.
Music
Best, William Thomas, editor, Fifty Arias y_ Handel, NewYork, Boosey and Hawkes, 1949.
Dresel, Otto, editor, Handel Arien ftir Sopran, Leipzig,Brockhaus Publibhers, 19 7.
Handel, G. F., Werke, edited by Friedrich Chrysander,Hgndelgesellschaft (referred to as HCE), Vols. 55-98,Leipzig, Breitkopf and HErtel, 1858-1902.
Handel Renaissance, edited by Gttnther, Berlin, Bote & Bock,
1938.
Jeppesen, Knud, editor, La Flora, Vol. I, Copenhagen,Denmark, Wilhelm Hansen, 1949.
LaForge, Frank, editor, Th Second LII Pons Song Album,New York, Carl Fischer, Inc., 198.
LaForae, Frank, and Earhart, Will, editors, Pathways ofSong ,v olss, New York, M. Witmark and Sons, l93+.
Frout, Ebenezer, editor, Songs &_ Airs by G. F. Handel, I,New York, Oliver Ditson Co.,T96.
Whittaker, W. G., editor, Arias from Handel's Italian Operas,London, Oxford University Press, 1942.
Wolff Ernest V., editor, Handel's Fifteen Arias for Highvoice, New York, G. Schirmer, Inc., 1940.
Articles
Short, Wilfrid Y., "Handel," The Mind of Arthur JamesBalfour (extracts are taken from the article contri-buted to the "Edinbuirgh Review," Jan. 1887), New York,George E. Doran Co., 1902.