Deh mira egli canto

Simone Molinaro's Deh mira egli canto is a secular canzonetta for two sopranos and tenor. Drawing on the madrigal tradition, it uses a text that compares the fleeting beauty of a rose to that of a young woman. The opening lines speak of the rose modestly emerging, half-hidden and thus more beautiful for its reserve. It then describes how, once fully open and bold, its beauty fades and it becomes less desirable, a metaphor for youthful charm that waxes and wanes.