"Bella mia fiamma, addio", K. 528, is a concert aria by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart for solo soprano and orchestra, composed in Prague in 1787. The text of this aria is taken from the 1772 opera Cerere placata, composed by Niccolò Jommelli with text by . The aria was published by Breitkopf & Härtel in 1881.[1]
Sung by the character Titano, the aria is marked andante, then allegro, and consists of 196 bars in the key of C major. The vocal range reaches from D to A with a tessitura of D to G. A typical performance lasts for around ten minutes. The aria contains bravura writing with difficult chromatic passages. The aria part of the work calls for a flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two natural horns in C, and strings. The time signature for the introduction is common time, then for the aria proper triple metre.
Composed in Prague, dated 3 November 1787, the aria was dedicated to its original singer, Josepha Duschek, for whom Mozart previously wrote the aria "Ah, lo previdi", K. 272, in Salzburg.[2] The composition of this aria was somewhat unusual; the following tale is attributed to Mozart's son Karl Thomas:[3]
Librarian Bernard Wilson, commenting on the story, adds: "There seems to be some corroboration of this account in the aria itself. The words Quest' affano, questo passo è terribile per me (mm. 27–34) are set to an awesome tangle of chromatic sequences artfully calculated to test the singer's sense of intonation and powers of interpretation. Apparently Mme. Duschek survived the passo terribile, since the autograph bears her name in Mozart's hand."[4] In 1789, Duschek sang the work along with other arias at concerts given by Mozart in Dresden and Leipzig during his Berlin journey of that year.
Della giurata fede la mia morte t'assolve.A più degno consorte ... O pene!unita vivi più lieta e più felice vita.Ricordati di me, ma non mai turbid'un felice sposo la rararimembranza il tuo riposo.Regina, io vado ad ubbidirtiAh, tutto finisca il mio furor col morir mio.Cerere, Alfeo, diletta sposa, addio!
Aria(to Proserpina): Resta, o cara, acerba mortemi separa, Oh Dio ... da te!
(to Cerere): Prendi cura di sua sorte,consolarla almen procura.
(to Alfeo): Vado ... ahi lasso!Addio, addio per sempre.
Quest'affanno, questo passoè terribile per me.Ah! Dov'è il tempio, dov'è l'ara?
(To Cerere): Vieni, affretta la vendetta!Questa vita così amarapiù soffribile non è!
(To Proserpina): Oh cara, addio per sempre!
Light of my life farewell!Heaven has not planned for our happiness.Those pure strands were snappedbefore out knot of happiness could be boundby our spirit in a single will.Live, and submit to fate and your duty.
My death absolves you from your promises.United to a better partner (Oh grief!)You will have a better, happier life.Remember me,but do not be disturbedby thoughts of unhappy former lover.My Queen, I leave youand death will end my ravings.Ceres, Alpheus, beloved heart, goodbye.
Stay my belovedA cruel death takes me from you, Oh God!
Look after herComfort her.
I go, alas, farewellfarewell forever.
This distressing situationis hard to bear.Where is the temple, where is the altar?
Come revenge, be quickThis bitter lifeCan be borne no longer.
Goodbye forever!