Antonio Vivaldi’s opera, Tito Manlio, composed over the course of five days in December of 1718, centers around a turbulent moral dilemma. Love and loyalty to family come into conflict with duty and rigid adherence to the law.
Here is a brief synopsis, provided by Naxos.com:
Titus Manlius is engaged in war with the people of Latium. Conflicts of love and duty arise with his daughter Vitellia, in love with the Latin commander Geminius, but loved by the Latin Lucius. Manlius, the son of Titus, kills Geminius, disobeying his father, and is condemned to death, in spite of the pleas of his beloved Servilia, sister of Geminius. He rejects the offer of Lucius to free him. There is eventual reconciliation between father and son.
Sonno, se pur sei sonno (“Sleep, if you are indeed sleep”) is Lucius’ despairing aria from the third act. Expressing exhaustion, he laments his unrequited love for Vitellia. He longs for sleep, which becomes a metaphor for death, and escape from pain.
The role of Lucius was sung by a soprano castrato. This recording features Magdalena Kožená with Andrea Marcon and the Venice Baroque Orchestra:
Recordings
- Vivaldi: Sonno, se pur sei sonno (Tito Manlio), Magdalena Kožená, Andrea Marcon, Venice Baroque Orchestra Amazon
Featured Image: “Mânlio Torquato condemns his own son to death” (1799), Alexandre-Romain Honnet