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"Ombra mai fu" ("Never was a shade…"), also known as "Largo fromXerxes" or "Handel's Largo", is the openingaria from theoperaSerse (1738) byGeorge Frideric Handel.
The opera was a commercial failure, lasting only five performances in London after its premiere. In the 19th century, however, the aria was rediscovered and became one of Handel's best-known pieces. Handel adapted the aria from the setting byGiovanni Bononcini, who, in turn, adapted it from the setting byFrancesco Cavalli. All three composers had produced settings of the same operalibretto byNicolò Minato.
Originally composed to be sung by a sopranocastrato (and typically sung in modern performances ofSerse by acountertenor,contralto or amezzo-soprano; sometimes even by atenor or highbaritone anoctave below),[1] it has been arranged for othervoice types and instruments, including solo organ, solo piano, violin or cello and piano, and string ensembles, often under the title "Largo fromXerxes" or (as in Thornton Wilder'sOur Town) simply "Handel's Largo", although the original tempo is markedlarghetto.
In the opera, the aria is preceded by a shortrecitativo accompagnato of 9bars, setting the scene ("Frondi tenere e belle"). The aria itself is also short; it consists of 52 bars and typically lasts three to four minutes.
Theinstrumentation is for astring section: first and secondviolins,viola, and basses. Thekey signature isF major, thetime signature is3/4 time. Thevocal range coversC4 to F5 with atessitura from F4 to F5.
The title translates from the Italian as "Never was a shade". It is sung by the main character,Xerxes I of Persia, admiring the shade of aplane tree.
Frondi tenere e belle
del mio platano amato
per voi risplenda il fato.
Tuoni, lampi, e procelle
non v'oltraggino mai la cara pace,
né giunga a profanarvi austro rapace.
Ombra mai fu
di vegetabile,
cara ed amabile,
soave più.
Tender and beautiful fronds
of my beloved plane tree,
let Fate smile upon you.
May thunder, lightning, and storms
never disturb your dear peace,
nor may you by blowing winds be profaned.
Never was a shade
of any plant
dearer and more lovely,
or more sweet.
Because the piece is often sung out of the context of the opera there exist numerouscontrafacta both secular and sacred[2] as well as paraphrases and translations. An example of the latter is "Beneath these leafy trees sweet peace receives me" from the chapter entitled "TheEE vowel" inFunctional Lessons in Singing.[3]
On 24 December 1906,Reginald Fessenden, a Canadian inventor and radio pioneer, broadcast the firstAM radio program, which started with a phonograph record of "Ombra mai fu".[4][5]
A 1980s electronic mix instrumental version of the aria can be heard in the cherry blossom viewing scene and forms a central part ofKon Ichikawa's 1983 filmThe Makioka Sisters.[6]
The song is also used in the Stephen Frears filmDangerous Liaisons (1989) during a private performance in an aristocratic salon. The song was performed by the Portuguese soloist, Paulo Abel do Nascimiento.
In the 1995 BBC adaptation of Jane Austen'sPride and Prejudice, the characterMary Bennet (played byLucy Briers) plays and sings the song (though rendered in English as "Slumber, dear maid") during a critical scene at the Netherfield Ball.
The song plays a prominent role inSebastián Lelio's 2017 filmA Fantastic Woman, in which Marina, atransgender woman and singer, performs the aria before an audience towards the end of the film.[7][8]
The song is played during the end credits of the 2023 mystery thriller filmThe Tutor, performed byAlexander Bornstein and Edward Underhill.
The song plays during the closing scenes of the 2023 Christmas comedy-drama filmThe Holdovers, as Mr Hunham packs up his room.
