"Ah, lo previdi!” – “Ah, t’invola” – “Deh, non varcar", K. 272, is a

concert aria A concert aria is normally a free-standing aria or opera-like scene (''scena'') composed for singer and orchestra, written specifically for performance in concert rather than as part of an opera. Concert arias have often been composed for particula ...

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

for solo

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...

and orchestra, one of Mozart's first large-scale operatic concert pieces.

Description

Sung by the character Andromeda, this extensive concert aria takes around twelve to fourteen minutes to perform. There are various tempo markings, including Allegro risoluto, Allegro, Andante, Adagio and Andantino, consisting of 323 bars, primarily in the key of

C minor C minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature consists of three flats. Its relative major is E major and its parallel major is C major. The C natural minor scale is: : Cha ...

. The work calls for two

oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range. A ...

s, two

French horn The French horn (since the 1930s known simply as the horn in professional music circles) is a brass instrument made of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. The double horn in F/B (technically a variety of German horn) is the horn most ...

s and

strings String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...

. The final

cavatina Cavatina is a musical term, originally meaning a short song of simple character, without a second strain or any repetition of the air. It is now frequently applied to any simple, melodious air, as distinguished from brilliant arias or recitatives ...

“Deh, non varcar” features a lyrical accompaniment with the oboe, as Andromeda pleads for Perseus to wait for her in the afterlife.

Narrative

This operatic version tells of the myth of Andromeda, condemned to be sacrificed to a sea monster. However she is saved by the hero Perseus. She is obliged to marry Euristeus, heir to the kingdom of

Argos Argos most often refers to: * Argos, Peloponnese, a city in Argolis, Greece ** Ancient Argos, the ancient city * Argos (retailer), a catalogue retailer operating in the United Kingdom and Ireland Argos or ARGOS may also refer to: Businesses ...

, but is in love with Perseus. In this aria Andromeda berates Euristeus with an emotional fury at the apparent suicide of Perseus. She believes he failed to prevent Perseus’s death. Andromeda then reflects to (the absent) Perseus with an intense grief. The recitative and aria K272 ends in a gentle

"Deh, non vacar", with a quiet ending in B-flat major. The passionate writing hints at later roles for operatic soprano, such as Elektra in

Idomeneo ' (Italian for ''Idomeneus, King of Crete, or, Ilia and Idamante''; usually referred to simply as ''Idomeneo'', K. 366) is an Italian language opera seria by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The libretto was adapted by Giambattista Varesco from a French ...

, The Queen of the Night in

The Magic Flute ''The Magic Flute'' (German: , ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a ''Singspiel'', a popular form during the time it was written that inclu ...

and Donna Anna in

Don Giovanni ''Don Giovanni'' (; K. 527; Vienna (1788) title: , literally ''The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Its subject is a centuries-old Spanis ...

History

Composed in

Salzburg Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian) is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872. The town is on the site of the ...

in August 1777, this is one of Mozart's last pieces written in his childhood city. Written for

Josepha Duschek Josepha Duschek (née Hambacher) (1754–1824) was an outstanding soprano of the Classical era. She was a friend of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who wrote a few works for her to sing. Her name is most often given in its German version as above. I ...

, who later Mozart wrote

Bella mia fiamma, addio "Bella mia fiamma, addio", K. 528, is a concert aria by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart for solo soprano and orchestra, composed in Prague in 1787. The text of this aria is taken from the 1772 opera ''Cerere placata'', composed by Niccolò Jommelli with te ...

, K528 in

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

.''The New Grove Mozart'' (1980)

Stanley Sadie Stanley John Sadie (; 30 October 1930 – 21 March 2005) was an influential and prolific British musicologist, music critic, and editor. He was editor of the sixth edition of the '' Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' (1980), which was publ ...

, p. 114 Mozart recommended Ah, lo previdi! to his beloved

Aloysia Weber ''Aloysia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are known generally as beebrushes.

, writing "I advise you to observe the expression marks—to think carefully of the meaning and the impact of the words—to put yourself in all seriousness into Andromeda’s situation and position!—and to imagine that you really are that very person.” The aria was published by

Breitkopf & Härtel Breitkopf & Härtel is the world's oldest music publishing house. The firm was founded in 1719 in Leipzig by Bernhard Christoph Breitkopf. The catalogue currently contains over 1,000 composers, 8,000 works and 15,000 music editions or books on ...

in 1888. The original manuscript is housed in the

Berlin State Library The Berlin State Library (german: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin; officially abbreviated as ''SBB'', colloquially ''Stabi'') is a universal library in Berlin, Germany and a property of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. It is one of the larg ...

Text

by . Taken from the 1772 opera ''Andromeda'', probably composed by

Giovanni Paisiello Giovanni Paisiello (or Paesiello; 9 May 1740 – 5 June 1816) was an Italian composer of the Classical era, and was the most popular opera composer of the late 1700s. His operatic style influenced Mozart and Rossini. Life Paisiello was born in T ...

. Andromeda ''Recitativo'' Ah, lo previdi! Povero Prence, con quel ferro istesso che me salvò, ti lacerasti il petto. (ad Eristeo) Ma tu sì fiero scempio perchè non impedir? Come, o crudele, d'un misero a pietà non ti movesti? Qual tigre, qual tigre ti nodrì? Dove, dove, dove nascesti? ''Aria'' Ah, t'invola agl'occhi miei, alma vile, ingrato cor! La cagione, oh Dio, tu sei del mio barbaro, barbaro dolor. Va, crudele! Va, spietato! Va, tra le fiere ad abitar. (Eristeo parte) ''Recitativo'' Misera! Misera! Invan m'adiro, e nel suo sangue intanto nuota già l'idol mio. Con quell'acciaro, ah Perseo, che facesti? Mi salvasti poc'anzi,or m'uccidesti. Col sangue, ahi, la bell'alma, ecco, già uscì dallo squarciato seno. Me infelice! Si oscura il giorno agli occhi miei, e nel barbaro affanno il cor vien meno. Ah, non partir, ombra diletta, io voglio unirmi a te. Sul grado estremo, intanto che m'uccide il dolor, intanto fermati, fermati alquanto! ''Cavatina'' Deh, non varcar quell'onda, anima del cor mio. Di Lete all'altra sponda, ombra, compagna anch'io voglio venir, venir con te. Ah, I foresaw this! With your sword, unhappy Prince you saved me but took your own life Why did you not prevent this terrible deed? Cruel man, not given to pity What tiger gave you suck? Where did you come from? Be gone from my sight! Flee from my site You base spirit, unkind heart! By heaven You are the cause of this barbaric suffering The most cruel and ruthless Go and live amongst the wildest beasts Unhappiness is me! I rage in vain My beloved lies in a pool of his own blood Why, Perseus did you do this? Darkness falls, my heart grows faint. With painful blood This beautiful soul is taken Unhappy me The day is darkening before me With a failing heart of torment Depart not my beloved! I will be with you At the end pause And I will be with you While sorrow ends my life Do not cross that stream Soul of my own soul To the furthest shore of

Lethe In Greek mythology, Lethe (; Ancient Greek: ''Lḗthē''; , ), also referred to as Lemosyne, was one of the five rivers of the underworld of Hades. Also known as the ''Ameles potamos'' (river of unmindfulness), the Lethe flowed around the cav ...

I will be your companion forever, stay! Forever I will be with you.

References

External links

* *
Italian and English text
* ,

Lucia Popp Lucia Popp (born Lucia Poppová; 12 November 193916 November 1993) was a Slovak operatic soprano. She began her career as a soubrette, and later moved into the light-lyric and lyric coloratura soprano repertoire and then the lighter Richard S ...

Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg The Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg is an Austrian orchestra, based in the town and state of Salzburg. The orchestra gives concerts in several Salzburg venues, including the ''Großes Festspielhaus'', the Great Hall of the Stiftung Mozarteum. I ...

, conductor

Leopold Hager Leopold Hager (born 6 October 1935, Salzburg) is an Austrian conductor known for his interpretations of works by the Viennese Classics (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert). Hager studied piano, organ, harpsichord, conducting, and composition ...

* ,

Kiri Te Kanawa Dame Kiri Jeanette Claire Te Kanawa , (; born Claire Mary Teresa Rawstron, 6 March 1944) is a retired New Zealand opera singer. She had a full lyric soprano voice, which has been described as "mellow yet vibrant, warm, ample and unforced". Te ...

Vienna Chamber Orchestra The Vienna Chamber Orchestra (Wiener Kammer Orchester, or WKO) is an Austrian chamber orchestra based at the Vienna Konzerthaus. History The WKO was founded in 1946, and its first artistic directors were Franz Litschauer, Heinrich Hollreiser, Pa ...

, conductor György Fischer {{Authority control Arias by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Soprano arias 1777 compositions Compositions in C minor