Friday 18 February 2011
Tune of the Day: Una furtiva lagrima
from “L'elisir d'amore” by Gaetano Donizetti
The tenor aria “Una furtiva lagrima” (“A furtive tear”) his arguably Donizetti's most immediately recognizable piece of music. This romanza is taken from Act II of his 1832 opera L'elisir d'amore. It is sung by Nemorino when he finds that the love potion he bought to win his dream lady's heart, Adina, works.
The piece is set in the original key of B-flat minor, with a brief excursion to the major mode at the end. Don't be intimidated by the five flats in the key signature: this aria should be played at a very slow tempo, so you have all the time to pay attention to accidentals.