The Canzonette by Paolo Rolli (1687-1765) were among the greatest lyrical successes of eighteenth-century Europe. The poet, renowned for his cantatas, his extraordinary Italian translation of Milton's Paradise Lost, and his opera libretti for Porpora and Handel, likely oversaw the musical settings of the Canzonette himself, often reworking compositions by Handel and popular tunes of the time, such as the dance Aimable Vainqueur. Simple yet delightful melodies accompany amorous skirmishes between nymphs and shepherds, while also celebrating wine and the pleasures of love. This collection offers a unique glimpse into the eighteenth-century Arcadian world through the original work of one of it's greatest poets.
