The world's most beautiful music: Mozart: Ah, perdona al primo affetto

This is one of the most beautiful duets Mozart ever composed, from his next-to-last opera, La Clemenza Di Tito, an opera he, himself, was not particularly fond of, simply because the subject bored him, (old school Italian opera seria, which he had finished with as a very young man). This duet reveals a mature composer who knew how to evoke emotion.



The characters are Annio, (female trouser role), and Servilia.

Translation,(rough):

Excuse the feelings I just expressed that I really shouldn't have (ill-advised). They just slipped out because once (upon a time) that was how I spoke to you. ie it was the fault of my lips that were used to speaking to you like that in times past. (ie old habits/feelings die hard..).