Gelido in ogni vena

Gelido in ogni vena

from Siroe, Re di Persia (1726)
by Leonardo Vinci (1690-1730)

performed by Ernesto Palacio and Salieri Chamber Orchestra under Tamás Pál

Libretto by Metastasio

In just two seasons Siroe had been set by no fewer than six Italian composers (Vinci, Gristomo, Popora, Sarri, Porla and Vivaldi), and it was set by Handel in 1728.

Gelido in ogni vena
scorrer mi sento il sangue.
L'ombra del figlio esangue
m'ingombra di terror.
 
E per maggior mia pena
vedo che fui crudele
a un'anima fedele,
a un innocente cor. (Parte)

I feel my blood like ice
coursing through every vein.
The shade of my lifeless son
afflicts me with terror.

And to make my agony worse,
I see that I was cruel
to an innocent soul,
to my heart's beloved.

Illustrations from "The Musical Entertainer," an elaborate illustrated notebook with popular songs of the time by George Bickham (c. 1706--1771).

From the CD Metastasio's Kings and Heroes:

Special thanks to thebarroque for introducing me to this singer by way of this CD.