Opera Daily 🎶 — An aria that never ages

This week's Opera Daily features “Amor ti vieta” from the Italian opera Fedora

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The Italian opera Fedora contains one of the best tunes in the tenor literature,”Amor ti vieta”.

Although the aria goes no higher than an A, it is not an easy aria to sing well. 

The vocal line demands the best from the tenor regarding good and faithful legato singing.

Let’s get into it and listen to Tenor Nicolai Gedda sing this piece.

So relaxed and so confident.

🎧 Listening Example: (2 minute listen): Tenor Nicolai Gedda singing “Amor ti vieta” from Act 2 of the Italian opera Fedora by Umberto Giordano, Swedish TV, 1969

Fedora is a tragic opera written in 1882 by Umberto Giordano. It is based on a libretto by Arturo Colautti.

The narrative tells the story of two lovers.

The lovers are Princess Fedora and Count Loris. In the opening, the princess professes her love for her fiancé Count Andrejevich. But her soon-to-be husband is not a nice guy. 

Fedora has found out that Count Loris killed her fiancé. She wants to get back at Loris and goes to Paris to get him to fall in love with her.

The aria, “Amor ti vieta,” explains the moment Count Loris falls in love with Fedora. And while she may love him, too, they would never admit to their love for each other.

“Amor ti vieta” (“Love forbids you”)

Amor ti vieta di non amar.
Love forbids you not to love.
La man tua lieve che mi respinge,
Your light hand that rejects me,
cerca la stretta della mia man;
seeks the touch of my hand;
la tua pupilla esprime: “T'amo”
the pupils (of your eyes) say: “I love you”
se il labbro dice:
even if your lips say:
"Non t'amerò!"
"I shall not love you!"

Plácido Domingo was one of the champions of this opera. Below is a clip where Merv Griffin interviews Domingo, and he sings (and plays!) “Amor ti vieta”.

🎧 Listening Example: (2 minute listen): Tenor Plácido Domingo singing “Amor ti vieta” from Act 2 of the Italian opera Fedora by Umberto Giordano, The Merv Griffin Show, 1981

Grateful for your time and ears,

Michele

PS. Missed our last edition? We featured some of the most enduring arias in the opera repertoire.

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