Beschreibung
Accessible Accompaniments is proud to present the first-ever modern-clef performing edition of Pasquale Cafaro’s once enormously popular aria, “Belle luci che accendete,” from La disfatta di Dario (1756). As noted in Giorgio Sanguinetti’s The Art of Partimento and other sources, this aria was considered the ideal Galant-era (early Classical) example of aria writing in its day, and its theme was even painted onto pottery to be sold to tourists in Naples.
While the aria was written for a castrato role, Alessandro, it is ideal for today’s young lyric coloratura sopranos who want to prepare for Mozart roles but wish to wait until they’ve found their mature vocal technique before tackling those roles. Additionally, because this La disfatta di Dario setting is a rarity and singers are unlikely to be hired for this role, it could be sung in transposition by young mezzos and other fachs without causing logistical issues like the need to produce orchestral parts in new keys.
Other aspects of this aria that make it a welcome addition to the voice teacher’s library are its widespread orchestral doubling of the vocal line (something that will help students who are still working on intonation and support), its relatively short, Italian-language text for easy memorization and diction acquisition, and its straightforward textual content—it’s a love song. In audition situations, this aria will be enjoyable for panels to hear, and because they will be very unlikely to know the aria, they won’t be able to critique it as closely as they would critique an aria they know well. It should also be sight-readable by an audition pianist of middling skill, another important consideration in choosing audition repertoire.
This new edition was engraved using Bernardo Mengozzi’s piano-vocal reduction from 1804, which preserves the soprano clef voice part and is not widely usable today, and I made some corrections to missing accidentals and articulations by cross-checking with the manuscript full score. Both are available at imslp.org. I also write out the appoggiatura executions and one potentially confusing polyrhythm on ossia staves to assist young singers/collaborative pianists who haven’t done much of this repertoire.
Range: Eb4-Bb5 without ornamentation
Tessitura: around Bb4-F5 (this one sits pretty high)
Text:
Belle luci, che accendete
In quest' alma un dolce foco,
Siete voi, e voi sarete
La mia calma, e il mio piacer.
Sì, la calma, e il piacer mio
Tutto, e sempre in voi s'aggira,
Per voi solo il cor respira,
Nè più brama il mio pensier.
About the Arranger behind Accessible Accompaniments Editions:
Praised as a "sensitive pianist" and "outstanding accompanist" who delivers "powerful interpretations," Nicole Elyse DiPaolo enjoys a multifaceted career as a sought-after collaborative pianist, educational composer, arranger, coach, private teacher, and adjunct music professor. Currently based in the Cleveland area, Ms. DiPaolo has appeared as a concerto soloist with the Ambassador Chamber Players on multiple occasions and as a recitalist, collaborator, and presenter worldwide. Currently, Ms. DiPaolo is an online Adjunct Lecturer in Music at Indiana University; the Principal Theory Teacher at Liberty Park Music, an online-only video subscription-based music school; an invited blog contributor and guest instructor at Tonebase; and a sought-after online instructor of piano, music theory, and composition who includes partimento and historical improvisation in her curricula.