# Vi sono sposa e amante (Thoughts on this epic Salieri aria)



## Jermaine (Apr 23, 2016)

Greetings, as per, I am continuing my obsession with Cecilia Bartoli, and I just stumbled across this piece on her Salieri album. It is incredibly brilliant I love the dialog between the voice and the wind instruments. I would like to read other people's thoughts on the aria. I am interested in the inner workings of the piece, but I don't have enough knowledge to analyze what's going on.

Also, this is the first I have encountered this composer.

Here is a video of Cecilia performing the aria:






:clap::clap::clap:​


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## Jermaine (Apr 23, 2016)

No one has a thought? ​


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

I don't have a thought on that particular aria (except to say that the singing is indeed amazing), but I do have Bartoli's Salieri collection, and find a lot of enjoyable material in it. I wonder if she's cherry-picked his oeuvre carefully for the best stuff, or if there's a lot more of similar quality. He was clearly a composer who knew his business.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

It's one of the neglect names on this site, either silent members who don't want to get bashed or brave ones like you.
Personally for me, something's are good , but the Norma and the La sonnambula makes me never want to hear it again.


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## Jermaine (Apr 23, 2016)

Woodduck said:


> I don't have a thought on that particular aria (except to say that the singing is indeed amazing), but I do have Bartoli's Salieri collection, and find a lot of enjoyable material in it. I wonder if she's cherry-picked his oeuvre carefully for the best stuff, or if there's a lot more of similar quality. He was clearly a composer who knew his business.




I have the same question. I did see her documentary "Perchè Salieri, signora Bartoli?," but it is in Italian with subtitle in French, neither of which I understand. So I was unable to make out what she was talking about. I am studying French though, so I hope to revisit it sometime and learn her motives.

Regarding the CD, yes the collection of arias strung together is absolutely beautiful. When I first heard vi sono sposa e amante, it reminded me of Mozart, Exsultate Jubilate in parts, but I did some reading on Salieri and realized what a diabolic comparison my mind had imagined. I hope to explore more stuff by him once I get done exploring Cecilia's vast discography.

I am currently on Maria which is my favorite record by her thus far. ​


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## Jermaine (Apr 23, 2016)

Pugg said:


> It's one of the neglect names on this site, either silent members who don't want to get bashed or brave ones like you.
> Personally for me, something's are good , but the Norma and the La sonnambula makes me never want to hear it again.


Who is the subject here? Bartoli or Salieri?

Your reference to Norma and La Sonnambula makes me think the former, but the phrase, "one of the neglect names on this site," is making me think it's the latter. Could you please clarify.​


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

I read somewhere that Decca is going to re-release the Norma again .

Edit: details on this site ;

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Decca/4786018


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## Jermaine (Apr 23, 2016)

Oh that is interesting. I wonder why; she is performing it several times this year. I hope some video pops up somewhere as I live in the U.S. and all stagings are in Europe.

But I wonder why re-release the album, especially since she still promotes the recent release St. Petersburg.

Regardless, I love her version of Casta Diva on her cd Maria. I think it's a very unique approach to the aria and her singing is stellar. In terms of live versions, I adore Ms. Callas simply because of the dramatic performance and the unique tone of her voice. Cabelle's version is also wonderful, but I think a bit overpraised. I have pretty much listened to 80% of the Casta Diva performances on youtube, and everything else is either okay in my opinion or soulless.

Concerning "La Sonnambula," I have only heard Bartoli's "Ah, non crida mirarti" and "Ah, non giunge uman pensiero" from her CD Maria. I think she did an excellent job. Also the live versions are equally great. But that's just my opinion. 

I also love Natalie Dessay's version of the La Sonnambula arias. ​


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

Jermaine, why are you formatting your text in such a way? I for one find it a little more difficult to read than the other posts.


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