For this week’s Music at Lunchtime recital we had the pleasure of listening to talented soprano, Eliza, perform 4 famous Mozart arias.
Eliza began with Zeffiretti lusinghieri from Mozart’s opera Idomeneo. A highly challenging piece conveying the character, Ilia, expressing her longing and love for Idamante to the nature surrounding her. The piece weaves through major and minor tonalities which Eliza skilfully utilised to reveal Ilia’s changing emotions.
Next, Eliza performed Deh vieni non tardar from Le nozze de Figaro, written in 1786 and first performed in Vienna. The main character of this aria is Susanna, maid to the Countess who is in disguise as the Countess in order to tease Figaro who believes Susanna is being unfaithful. Eliza expertly executed the intricate ornamentation and lower passages to convey Susanna’s cunning character.
Ach ich fühl’s from Mozart’s final opera, Die Zauberflöte of 1791, was also first performed in Vienna. It follows the adventures of Prince Tamino and the bird-catcher Papageno on their quest to rescue, Pamina, the daughter of the Queen of the Night. Eliza demonstrated fantastic control during the aria which features a wide tessitura, many appoggiaturas and chromaticism requiring great precision.
Eliza’s recital concluded with Non so più cosa son, cosa faccio, another aria from Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro. The aria centers around Cherubino, page boy to the Count, who is expressing his excitement and passion that he feels when in the company of every women he sees, particularly the Countess Rosina. Eliza utilised the quick tempo to convey the erratic nature of Cherrubino whilst also maintaining beautiful tone and control.
Eliza’s full recital can be found here.
