Ella giammai m'amò
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"Ella giammai m'amò" is an aria for bass from Verdi's opera Don Carlos (1867).[1] It is one of the most famous Italian arias for bass, and is often performed in recitals and featured in anthologies for bass singers.[citation needed]
The aria begins with a long orchestral prelude, which features a striking solo passage for cello. King Philip II of Spain has made a politically advantageous arranged marriage with a French princess young enough to be his granddaughter. He suspects that his son is having an affair with her.[2] Unable to sleep, he sits alone in his study, recalls her sad look when she first met him and saw how old he was, and admits to himself that she never loved him. He wishes that his royal scepter could give him the power to see people's true characters and detect deception. He muses that he will only sleep properly in his tomb, when he is dead.[3]
