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.