Aris Christofellis, sopranist: Quel Usignuolo

Aris Christofellis, sopranist. Quel usginuolo (a nightingale-style aria). Genimniani Giacomulli (1692-1740). Aria for the role of Epidide (sung by Farinelli), from the opera Merope, with libretto by Apostolo Zeno and Domenico Lalli, Venice, 1734. It has been said that, after Farinelli became the primary advisor to the king of Spain, he was asked to sing this aria many times (some say every evening) for the king. Apparently, Farinelli varied the ornamentation and cadenzas every time that he sang it.

This is the most famous of the nightingale arias, imitating the famously vocal bird. The male nightingale is the singer. The song, loud, varied, melodious, may be continued for several hours, both day and by night.

Quel usignuolo che innamorato
se canta solo tra fronda e fronda
spiega del fato la crudelta.
Sode pietoso nel bosco ombroso
chi gli risponde, di ramo in ramo
con lieto core cantando va.

That nightingale who, enamoured,
Sings alone among the leaves,
Proclaims the cruelty of fate.
If in the shady wood he hears a sympathetic
Answering call, from branch to branch
With happy heart he sings away.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Christofellis
• sopranist
• castrato
• Farinelli
• voice
• Baroque
• opera
• Gicacomelli

[devampa]

Thank you for this recording. I found it improves the more you hear it, although whether this because I became more in tune with voice of Aris Christofellis I dont know.

[sfkcbf]

Singing sopranist is rather like wrestling with both arms tied behind one's back, yet Aris does an astonishing job. I have heard other recordings by singers whose tessitura naturally is this high; but they were disappointingly terrible, which makes me appreciate Aris even more. Any difficulty with timbre or enunciation is limited here because so much of it is without words. I hesitated producing and posting this video because many people do not understand truly what they are listening to.

[Surrexit1]

Sorry, I've looked in my dictionary for "sopranist", but without any result. A soprano is a boy voice, but Aris must be a counter tenor, isn't he?

[sfkcbf]

Definitions like "sopranist" and "countertenor" vary from era to era and with different people and languages. "Soprano" applies only to persons who sing with their natural tessitura / voices...female, boy, and the rare adult, male sopranos. My experience is that "sopranist" indicates adult males whose natural voice is baritone or tenor but, with special training, can sing higher than most countertenors. Singers who employ such techniques reach alto at best. Very few can reach the soprano range.

[tritus67]

This is a wonderful elegance!

So agile vocalism ... he is really great!!

Mary

[secretmax07]

Wow...beautiful.

[compay2407]

Hi Stephen, nice video. =)

[devampa]

Thank you Stephen. I do like Aris most of the time, in some arias he is perfect, I'm thinking of "Siam navi allonde algenti" and "Superbo de me Stesso" and the like, where agility helps to make or mar an aria.

[velvetcaress]

Wonderful! Thanks Stephen.