Donna sai per che t'amo

This delightful secular Italian madrigal by Andrea Rota is ideal for an a cappella SATB choir. The text, a charming declaration of love, questions the beloved about the reasons for the singer's affection. It playfully explains that her eyes are the bait and the hook, and she is his treasure. However, the poem takes a bittersweet turn, lamenting that instead of returning his love, she wishes him to die. Rota's setting likely captures the shifting moods of the text, from tender adoration to plaintive regret. It would make a wonderful addition to a concert program, perhaps alongside other Renaissance or early Baroque madrigals.