“…The concert opened with a short six-minute aria “L’amero saro costante” from one of
Mozart’s less well-known operas, Il Re Pastore (The Shepherd King). This opera was one
of Mozart’s early operas. He composed it in 1775 when he was just 19 years old in honor of
Archduke Maximilian Francis’ visit to Salzburg when it was performed, apparently, in concert
version or partly-staged.

The role of the shepherd king, Aminta, was written originally for a male soprano (castrato)
who sang the aria “L’amero saro costante” in the first act of the opera. This is an idyllic, quiet,
pastoral aria with an orchestral accompaniment of soft strings, two flutes, two English horns and
a solo violin. The violin serves as a second voice in a duet, as it were, with the singer. In this
aria, the king declares his eternal lover for Elisa. Arianna Zukerman, whose pleasant voice fused
nicely with the orchestra, was particularly striking in the wonderful duet with the solo violin –
her father – Pinchas Zukerman. Chemistry clearly passes through the blood.”