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About this Piece

“Vorrei dirti il mio dolore,” from Rosmira fidele (Venice, 1738). *Here, Prince Arsace addresses Rosmira with a fearful and shame-faced declaration of love, delivering it in a dramatic context that gives plenty of scope for embarrassment: Having earlier betrayed Rosmira in favor of Queen Partenope, the Prince has to deal with his spurned mistress’s sudden appearance at her rival’s palace where, disguised as a man, she exacts a refined form of vengeance against her wayward suitor. A moving and restrained love song imbued with the Prince’s suffering and guilt, “Vorrei dirti il mio dolore” is a graceful vocal line crammed full of galant turns of phrase.*