Origins of the poems
1a Manca sollecita
These lyrics are from the opera Demetrio (Act 2, scene 13). They are sung by Cleonice, queen of Syria. The opera premièred in Vienna on 4 November 1731 by order of Empress Elisabeth to celebrate the emperor's name day (Charles VI). The opera was composed by Antonio Caldara.
1b Semplicetta tortorella
These lyrics are also from the opera Demetrio (Act 3, scene 11). It is sung by Barnese, queen Cleonice's friend and confidante. This is part A of her fifth aria, which is also the last in the opera.
2a Lascia il lido
These lyrics are from the opera Siface, which was Metastasio's first opera libretto. The aria is sung by Erminio, Siface's commander-in-chief.
2b Avvezzo a vivere
These lyrics are also from the opera Demetrio (Act 3, Scene 9). It is sung by Captain Mitrane in front of the royal guards. The lyrics are part B of his third aria.
3 Bella prova è d´alma forte
These lyrics are from the opera Ezio (Act 3, Scene 1). They are sung by Ezio, commander of the army of the Roman emperor of the West, Valentinian III. This is part B of his fifth aria and composed by Nicola Porpora.
4a Fra l´ombre un lampo solo
These lyrics are from the opera Achille in sciro (Achilles on Skyros). They are sung by Odysseus, who is staying with Achilles on the island of Skyros in the Aegean Sea. This is part A in the first of his three arias. It was composed by Caldara.
4b Quell´onda che ruina
These lyrics are from a festa teatrale titled Alcide al bivio (Hercules at a crossroads). It is sung in the fifth act by Aretea, a maiden representing chastity. This is part A of her second and last aria. It was composed by Johan Adolf Hasse.
5 Delira dubbiosa
These lyrics are from the play Il sogno di Scipione (Scipio's dream). It is sung by Scipio himself and composed by Luca Antonio Predieri.
6 Nel contrasto Amor s'accende
These lyrics end the componimento drammatico, dramatic piece, Amor prigioniero (Cupid imprisoned). It is sung by the ancient god figures Cupid and Diana and composed by Georg Reutter.
7 Come il candore
The original version of these lyrics is found in the opera Alessandro nell'Indie (Alexander the Great in India).
8a Senza l'amabile
These lyrics are from the play L´asilo d´amore (The asylum of love), where they are sung by the goddess Venus. This is her third and last aria. It was composed by Caldara in 1732.
8b Benchè di senso privo
These lyrics are included in the fifth act of the play L´isola disabitata (The uninhabited island). They are sung by Enrico in his one and only aria. The aria was composed by Josef Bonno. It was premièred in Aranjuez on 31 May 1753 and conducted by the great singer Farinelli.
9a La gioia verace
These lyrics are from the second part of the oratorio Giuseppe riconosciuto (The unknown Joseph) from Genesis. It is sung by Joseph's wife Aseneta (Asenat) and composed by Giuseppe Porsile.
9b L'augelletto in lacci stretto
These lyrics are connected with the original version of the opera Didone abbandonata (The betrayed Dido), Act 5. There it was sung by Araspe. The music was composed by Domenico Natale Sarro (Sarri).
10a Quando accende un nobil petto
These lyrics are from a duet by Clelia and Orazio in Il trionfo di Clelia (Clelia's triumph), Act 2, Scene 3. The duet was composed by Hasse.
10b Piu non si trovano
These lyrics are from the opera L'olimpiade (The Olympics), Act 1, Scene 7. It is sung by Argene.
11 Se povero il ruscello
These lyrics as well as Bella prova (exercise 3) are from the opera Ezio. They are sung by Massimo in the eighth scene of the first act.
12 Siam navi all'onde algenti
As well as the lyrics to Più non si trovano, these lyrics are from the opera L´olimpiade (The Olympics). They are sung in the fifth scene of Act 2 by Amonta, the governess.
13a Vorrei spiegar l'affanno
These lyrics are from the revised version of the opera Semiramide (Semiramis) (Act 1, scene 4). They are sung by the Indian prince Scitalce, who is in love with Queen Semiramis. The lyrics were probably premièred in Rome on 6 February, 1729 as a composition by Vinci, but it is possible that Porpora's music to the same lyrics was premièred in Venice before that.
13b O placido il mare
These lyrics are from the opera Siroe (Act 1, Scene 8). They are sung by Leodice. The music was composed by Vinci.
14 La patria un tutto di cui siam parti è
La patria è un tutto comes from the first scene of the second act in the opera Attila Regolo. It is sung by Regolo himself
15 Alla stagon de'fiori
These lyrics end the brief cantata L´armonica (Glasharmonika), which was composed for the wedding of Archduchess Maria Amalia of Austria and Crown Prince Ferdinand of Parma in 1769. The cantata was composed by Hasse.