Hello everyone! Today, my friend @zzoebee and I decided to make a recording of an Aria from Handel's Atlanta called Care selve. While you should definitely take care of yourselves, the title is really Italian (cheesy joke. I know), and means Beloved Forests (according to lieder.net). The text translates as follows (according to the same source):

Italian	English
Care selve, ombre beate,	Beloved forests, joyous shadows:
vengo in traccia del mio cor!	I come in search of my heart.

With that in mind, here is our performance. After the video, there will be some background information about the opera.

Atlanta

Plot

According to wikipedia, the opera Atlanta is about a king named Meleagro who pretends to be a shepherd in order to escape his royal duties. He falls in love with a huntress who is really a princess pretending to be a huntress named Atlanta. She actually falls in love with him, too, but does not realize he is a king, and thinks she cannot marry him because he is not of nobility. I don't want to give too much about the plot away, but the basic premise is that there is dramatic irony because neither person knows the other is really nobility. This aria comes in the first act. The whole opera is three acts.

History

Again according to wikipedia, this opera was written in London in 1736 in order to commemorate a marriage that was taking place between King George II's eldest son Frederick, and Princess Augusta from Saxe-Gotha. The opera was very popular with the Royal family and London citizens, and even included a fireworks display on several occasions throughout the year it was premiered.

Conclusion

Thanks for reading this, and listening to our performance! I hope to upload more performances with Zoe, and other friends in the near future. Please make them feel welcome, and remember that feedback is always appreciated! Have an amazing day!

Side note: Make sure to check @bebethlehem later today for another performance