Classical Music | Soprano

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Aria L'amero sarò constante from Il re pastore, K 208  Play

Tina Beverly Soprano
William Billingham Piano
Alison Zlotow Violin

Recorded on 08/16/2005, uploaded on 01/15/2009

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Mozart composed the opera Il re pastore in 1775. An opera seria commissioned for a visit of Archduke Maximilian Francis of Austria, the youngest son of Empress Maria Theresa, to Salzburg, it was premiered on April 23 at the Palace of the Archbishop Count Heironymus von Colloredo. The libretto of the opera, by Metastasio, was written in 1751 and had already been set by the Italian composer Felice Giardini as a three-act opera. Mozart's two-act version has only a few major changes from Metastasio's original libretto.

Aminta, a shepherd and unknowingly the rightful heir to Sidon, professes his love for Elisa and that the ongoing war between the tyrant Stratone and King Alessandro of Macedonia will not affect their love. Once Stratone is disposed, King Alessandro begins searching for the rightful heir to the throne. While Elisa receives permission from her father to marry Aminta, Aminta learns that he is the rightful heir from Agenore, an aristocrat. Alessandro tells Aminta that when he becomes king, his royal duties come before love and, despite his love for Elisa, Alessandro advises him to he marry Stratone's daughter, Tamiri, in order to ascend the throne. Everyone but Alessandro is distraught by the planned marriage. Tamiri confronts Alessandro stating she loves Agenore and she and Elisa both place themselves at his mercy. Realizing that he was about to separate two pairs of lovers, Alessandro tells Aminta to marry Elisa and Agenore to marry Tamiri. At the conclusion, Aminta is crowned king.

"L'amerò sarò costante," from Act II, is one of the opera's notable arias and is sung by Aminta when Elisa pleads with Alessandro to let her marry Aminta. Cast as a duet between Aminta (a castrato part) and a solo violin, the aria opens with a short introduction for the orchestra and solo violin. The violin never intrudes upon the vocal line and contents itself with filling in the spaces between the vocalist's phrases. In triple time and an Andantino tempo, the aria is a beautiful affirmation of devotion to a loved one.      Joseph DuBose
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Text by Metastasio 

Aminta: I will love her, I will be constant.

A faithful husband, a faithful lover.

Only for her I will sigh.

In so dear and sweet a creature

I will find my joy, my delight, and my peace.