Sacchini rediscovered spectacular aria (world premiere)! "Kings of Bravura" concert

"Mentre il cor con meste voci"
Artabano's aria closing act 2 of the opera seria:
Artaserse (carnival 1768, Roma)
the role was first sung by the famous virtuoso tenor
Giuseppe Afferri (c.1730-af.1790)

Mentre il cor con meste voci,
mi palesa il duol, ch'asconde
la speranza al cor risponde
che contento alfin godrà.

Bella speme lusinghiera
per te sprezzo ogni periglio;
Si per te l'amato figlio
vendicato regnerà.
(Poesia inserita: anonimo)

Here is a lost gem by Neapolitan founding father of Italian neoclassicism - composer Antonio Sacchini (14 June 1730 – 6 October 1786) performed live and recorded for the first time since its conception in the 18th century! This highlight extract features a most dazzling, demanding bassoon solo obbligato part! Perhaps one of the most virtuosic pieces of the era for both the singer and concertante player!

Daniel Behle, tenor
Rebecca Mertens, bassoonist
Evgeny Sviridov , lead violin, concert leader
Concerto Köln, ensemble on period instruments
recorded live on Saturday 16 September 2023
at the Margravial Opera House, Bayreuth, Germany.
transcription performance edition, Victor Jimenez y Diaz,
Raydel Martinez y Diaz, musicological historian/researcher;
curated an unprecedented project for tenor Daniel Behle
exploring the forgotten, unjustly neglected contemporaries of Mozart!