Aris Christofellis, Sopranist. Gluck: Air de Sesto, Complete

Se mai senti spirarti sul volto, Air de Sesto (complete version), from La clemenza di Tito, by Christoph-Willibald von Gluck (1714-1787). First performed in Naples, 1750 with castrato Caffarelli (Gaetano Majorano) as Sesto. Aris Christofellis, falsetto sopranist.

Se mai senti spirarti sul volto
lieve fiato che lento saggiri
di son questi gli estremi sospriri
del mio fido che more per me.
Al mio spirto dal seno disciolto
la memoria di tanti martiri
sara dolce con questa merce.

If ever you feel on your cheek
a light breath drifting around,
these are the last sighs
of my trusted, who dies for me.
To my spirit, divorced from my body,
the memory of so much suffering
will be sweetened by this comfort.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Christofellis
• sopranist
• Gluck
• Air
• de
• Sesto
• Baroque
• castrato
• voice

[singingtruth76]

No doubt this is one of the best and most original renditions of this extremely challenging aria. To me the only version that gives us at least a suggestion of what it might have sounded when premiered.

[sfkcbf]

@singingtruth76 Like many others, I find the unsual timbre and enunciation difficulties resulting from sopranist efforts rather less than optimal; however, Aris is one of the very few people who has sung with a degree of real success. He has recorded soprano arias for our enjoyment and education that other singers can not attempt and, therefore, has given us additional glimpses into the world of the castrati.

[77Opera]

Vraiment superbe! Merci à vous sfkcbf