Giaochino Rossini - Aria for Mosca's 'I pretendenti' (1812) - "Alla gloria" (Gregory Kunde)

Rossini, heeding to the customs of the time, often wrote insertion arias for his own operas to pleases specific productions of his operas or even his favorite singers (as the already posted variant of Lindoro's (of "L'italiana" fame) second aria and an additional aria for Emma from "Zelmira" prove) but would also provide singers with new pieces for revivals of other composers' works. In this particular case, we have an opportunity to examine an insertion aria written for "I pretendenti delusi" written by Giuseppe Mosca that Rossini composed for Raffaele Monelli, a tenor who created several romantic roles for the composer's earlier one-act operas.
The aria, following a typical three-part structure and backed up throughout by lively rhythms, is a terrific display piece, if not quite one of Rossini's many exquisite masterpieces for the tenor voice. The slightly silly orchestrally opening allegro, built around an ABA form (reminding one of Rossini's short arias, such as Argirio's first proper aria from "Tancredi"), is kept interesting with just the needed amount of coloratura garnishes, as the tenor resolves to protect his lover. A genuine surprise comes in the form of the sustained andante section, highlighted by a particularly affecting clarinet solo (just like in "Concedi, amor pietoso") and just a hint of Mozart's grace, which forms the true centerpiece of the aria. The final stretta, finding the hero in a more excited mood and incorporating an almost impossible amount of ornamentation (including a short vocal duel with the flute at 6:21), is an ideally extroverted ending to a rather wonderful early piece from Rossini.
Gregory Kunde, probably the only tenor in recent times to have an opportunity to tackle the piece, is suitably fresh-voiced for both the showy coloratura and the more intimate andante. Hope you'll enjoy :).

[@cdmdlr]

Alla gloria un genio eletto
mai non scorda il suo dovere,
ma all'ebbrezza del piacere
sempre avverso non sarà;
non offende un puro afetto
d'un gran cor la nobiltà.
Dono del Ciel benefico,
compenso del dolore,
grato ristoro e balsamo
d'ogni sensibil core,
scorta all'oprar magnanimo
il vero amor si fà.
Ma se all'armi invita il forte
della tromba il suon guerriero,
della vita e della morte
il valor trionferà.
Poi tra i palpiti d'amore
a gioir ritornerà.

[@alextudor43]

Magnifique !

[@azadecenani7622]

Wonderful aria ! Thank you...

[@songelosodelzefiro2102]

Excellent! Gregory Kunde is a great singer!

[@enriquesalinas8411]

Remarkable

[@SonoPortoricano]

When was this recorded?
Thank you very much, Kunde was great.