THE SONGBIRD: British soprano Pauline Tinsley (1928 - 2021) studied with Joan Cross and Dame Eva Turner among others and made her debut in 1961 as Desdemona in Rossini's "Otello" with a small company in London. She joined the Welsh National Opera in 1962 and the English National Opera in 1963 and sang with each for several seasons. In 1965 she became a member of Covent Garden, where she appeared as Elektra, Santuzza, Mother Marie, and Lady Billows. She sang a wide variety of lyric, dramatic, and cross-over roles, including Queen Elisabetta opposite Beverly Sills's Maria Stuarda with New York City Opera. Tinsley appeared in Hamburg, Zűrich, Vancouver, Houston, and Santa Fe. She died in May of 2021 at the age of 93.
THE MUSIC: Mozart composed "Lucio Silla" K.132 when he was 16 years old; it premiered in Milan in December 1772 to moderate success. The cast calls for four sopranos (one as a castrato) and two tenors. The opera seria plot is typical: Roman dictator Silla lusts for Giunia, who is the daughter of his arch-enemy and who in turn is married to the banished (and presumed dead) Roman senator Cecilio. Mozart composed the role of Cecilio for the famed castrato soprano, Venanzio Rauzzini (1746 – 1810), who was also a composer and voice teacher. It was during the initial run of "Lucio Silla" performances that Mozart composed his masterpiece motet "Exsultate Jublitate" for Rauzzini. "Il tenero momento" is Cecilio's first aria, a florid yet tender piece in which he envisions being reunited with his wife, Giunia.