Con sirisi cortesi

This is a delightful Italian secular madrigal for two voices, soprano and bass. The music opens with a charming interplay between the parts, reflecting the sweetness of the text. The lyrics speak of a lover's betrayal; the beloved, addressed as 'bella Tigre', promised happiness with kind smiles, sweet glances, and gentle gestures, but now offers only scorn and no solace, leaving the lover to burn and die. The composer Radesca masterfully captures the contrast between the initial hope and the subsequent despair through the vocal lines and harmonic language, creating a miniature dramatic scena.