Many students and singers I coach have Vivaldi’s “Vedrò con mio diletto” (from Giustino, 1724) in their repertoire. Some of them are surprised when they see the text says, first “il core del mio cor” and then it changes to “il cor di questo cor”. This kind of change does not really happens inside a verse – text usually gets repeated.

If you see the libretto, printed in Rome for the premiere of the opera, you’ll see the text is “il core del mio cor”. This is the text Vivaldi probably had at his disposal when composing. But Vivaldi’s Manuscript (I-Tn Foà 34) confirms what everybody knows from the Ricordi piano reduction that is commonly used in lessons and auditions. Vivaldi writes “il cor di questo cor” in that melisma, changing the text.

When Chalamet says he does not want to work in ballet or opera (*giggles*, *kicking back in his chair trying to sound/look cool*), because nobody “cares” about opera, the reactions are, of course, strong. It was to expect.

He says this from the entitled, privileged position of a Hollywood world where tickets sell in millions, songs are streamed in millions, faces are sold for millions. Of course, in his prism, “nobody” cares about ballet and opera, in comparison with his world. And while some people are commenting that this “might” have some truth in it, I do not feel that this is the matter of the question.

As soon as the very first rays of sun come, and March is approaching, there is a very special smell in the air - not too warm yet, but fresh, and it has notes of sun and grass in it. Everytime I sense it, I have goosebumps. It is a smell I associate very strongly to my early childhood. I dare say it is even one of the very first sensorial memories I have – that smell of spring.

Anthony, a painter, asked me at an exhibition: How would you describe “Baroque”?

Now, that is a very strong question, and difficult to answer sensibly in a short format.

I came up with this:

“Baroque is the celebration of life and death, in a state of awe and wonder.”

Have a beautiful day!

Flavio