"Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo", K. 584, is a concert aria by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart for solo bass and orchestra conceived for the role of Guglielmo the opera Così fan tutte but replaced by "Non siate ritrosi".[1] It is considered one of the outstanding opera buffa arias for the bass voice.[2] [3] The text of this aria is by Lorenzo Da Ponte.
The aria is marked allegro, of 195 bars in common time, in the key of D major. The vocal range reaches from G to F. In this catalogue aria, the singer Guglielmo declares how his fiancée Fiordiligi is unlikely to betray him due to his many admirable qualities and his faithfulness for her. He lists how he and his fellow "Albanian" Ferrando possess qualities such as dancing, singing and impressive physical characteristics, and how they are both without equal from Canada to Vienna.[4] An elaborate solo for the oboe commences at bar 94. A typical performance lasts for around five and a half minutes.
Composed in December 1789, the aria was first published around the year 1855. The original singer was Francesco Benucci, who notably sung the title role in The Marriage of Figaro and Leporello in Don Giovanni. In what Ian Woodfield calls a "drastic step", the aria was replaced for dramatic reasons by the more lightweight brevity of "Non siate retrosi".[5]
However, "Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo" remains a popular and often performed concert piece today, and is sometimes included in full productions of the opera. In compensation for the deletion of this showpiece aria, Mozart may have altered Benucci's second act aria, the flamboyant "Donne mie", adding new musical material and parts for trumpets and timpani.[6] The original manuscript consists of 12 pages, 24 sides, and is housed in the Berlin State Library.
The work calls for two oboes, two bassoons, two trumpets, timpani and strings.
E voi cara un sol momentoIl bel ciglio a me volgeteE nel mio ritrovereteQuel che il labbro dir non sa.
Un Orlando innamoratoNon è niente in mio confronte;Un Medoro il sen piagatoVerso lui per nulla io conto:
Son di foco i miei sospiriSon di bronzo i suoi desiri,Se si parla poi di mertoCerto io sono e egli è certoChe gli uguali non si trovanoDa Vienna al Canadà,
Siam due Credi per ricchezza,Due Narcisi per bellezzaIn amor i MarcantoniVerso noi sarian buffoniSiam più forti d'un ciclopo,Letterati al par di Esopo.
Se balliamo un Pich ne cedeSì gentil e snello è il piede,Se cantiam col trillo soloFacciam torto all'usignuolo,E qualch'altro capitaleAbbiam poi che alcun non sa.
Bella, bella, tengon sodo:Se ne vanno ed io ne godo!Eroine di costanza,specchi son di fedeltà.
And you darling, for just one momentTurn your beautiful eyes to meAnd in mine you will findWhat the others do not know.
An Orlando in loveIt's nothing compared to me;Medoro the wounded knightHis fame cannot compete.
My sighs are of fireHis desires are of bronze,If we talk about abilitiesThen no equalsTo us may be foundFrom Vienna to Canada.
The two of us are rich as Croesus,We are two daffodils of beautyThe Marc Anthonys comparedTo us are buffoonsWe are stronger than Cyclops,More knowledgable than Aesop.
If we dance, Le Picq bows toour refined narrow feet,If we sing with a simple trillIt outshines the nightingale,Our physical bodiesAre beyond compare.
Beautiful, beautiful fiances,You will hold firm:Our heroines of constancy,Our mirrors of fidelity.