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"'Ombra mai fu'" is an aria from the opera ''Serse (Xerxes)'' by George Frideric Handel.
The title, which translates from the Italian as ''Shade there never was'', is the first aria of the opera. It is sung by the main character, Serse (or "Xerxes"), in praise of a tree's shade as he sits underneath it. It is commonly known as Handel's "Largo", although the original tempo was larghetto. The opera was a commercial failure, lasting only five performances in London after its premiere. In the 19th century, however, the aria was rediscovered and became one of Handel's best-known pieces. It has often been arranged for other instruments, including solo piano, violin and piano, and groups of strings, often with the full title "Largo from Xerxes." Handel adapted the aria from the setting by Bononcini who in turn adapted it from the setting by Francesco Cavalli. All three composers had produced settings of the same opera libretto by Niccolò Minato.

Contents

Verses

Trivia

References/External Links

Verses

:'' Ombra mai fu di vegetabile,
:'' cara ed amabile,
:'' soave più.
:: Never was shade
:: of dear and amiable vegetable
:: More sweet

Trivia

★ An arrangement of this aria was the first piece of music ever broadcast across the Atlantic.

★ German electronic music band Tangerine Dream closed their 1995 album ''Tyranny of Beauty'' with their own rendition, titled "Largo (from Xerxes)".

★ Thornton Wilder specifies "Handel's Largo" as prelude to the Act II wedding in his famous play ''Our Town'', and the melody is mentioned by Mr. Webb in Act I.

★ Though notably a "pants role", this aria has been sung by artists from almost all the different vocal groups such as Beniamino Gigli (tenor), Bryn Terfel (bass-baritone), Dmitri Hvorostovsky (baritone), Andrea Bocelli, José Carreras, Fritz Wunderlich (tenor), Andreas Scholl, David Daniels (countertenor), Kathleen Ferrier (contralto), Cecilia Bartoli, Janet Baker, Jennifer Larmore (mezzo-soprano), and Renée Fleming (soprano), Kirsten Flagstad (soprano).

★ A version is sung by Lisa Gerrard (of Dead Can Dance fame) on her 1995 solo album ''The Mirror Pool''.

★ On the BBC Four documentary "Castrato", the aria is used in an attempt to replicate the sound of a castrato using modern technology.

References/External Links

★ Choral Public Domain Library

★ Creative Commons MP3 Recording at Musica Creativa.org

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