Score Study: Don Giovanni Act II: No. 19 [18] Aria

Unlike the duet and aria from Act I, “Vedrai, carino” is music that is stylistically indicative of Zerlina’s status.  This is our indication that her sentiments in this aria are sincere, particularly in her complete lack of acceptance of any guilt and her projection onto Masetto that he must be the one to alter his behaviour to deserve her attention.  She is convinced of her position and proceeds to articulate this through an aria that is tender and completely straightforward in structure.

The caressing quality of the melody, as introduced by the orchestra, is signaled through the leggiero bowing of the violins.  The first bar should be taken as three consecutive up-bows with clear direction over the bar line.  The voice should maintain absolute legato upon entrance and allow the strings to continue with the articulation. 

Absolute care and attention must be taken not to rush the voice off of phrase endings!  Fluidity and subtle control of phrasing must be executed throughout.

Mm. 25-33 must have forward momentum without unnaturally pushing the tempo.  Slight ritardando in m. 33 with a caesura, in the voice and strings, before the downbeat of m. 34 (Flutes and Bassoons should attentively carry over the barline). 

The fermata in the voice (m. 51) should be ornamented.  Suggestion: voice ascends from E to F-F#-G-A then descends G-F natural -E -D.

Heartbeat in the bassi/celli (m. 53) must be sufficiently articulate and countered by best legato of woodwinds.  Non-vibrato in strings. 

Although obvious in its meaning about the beating of her heart, the exorbitant repetition of the words “sentilo battere” is also suggestive and allusive to “Batti, batti.”  The subito “p” that occurs on the word “battere” requires time to execute, time that the voice can provide by carefully indulging the initial consonant of the word in a way that is consistent with Zerlina’s sadomasochistic nature and her delight in the very expression of the word. The woodwind articulations in mm. 63 and 64 should, therefore,  accent the first note of the gesture and diminuendo over the bar line in order to illuminate this characterization.  In m. 65 the sixteenths should crescendo to the downbeat for the sake of the cadential movement.