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...Ah! scellerate alme d'inferno. Conducted by Vittorio Gui. Maggio Musicale Fiorentino 1959. The Battle of Legnano. Act 3. Scene 2: Rolando's castle. Thinking that Arrigo has been ordered to remain to guard Milan, Rolando begs him to take care of his wife and son in the event of his death: Se al nuovo dì pugnando /“If when we fight on the morrow“. As Rolando leaves, Marcovaldo appears to warn him that his honor has been betrayed: the prisoner has taken the secret note which Lida wrote to Arrigo. He gives it to Rolando who angrily exclaims that he will obtain vengeance: Mi scoppia il cor / “My heart is bursting“. Baritone Rolando's aria in praise of familial love is a warm-up for “Di Provenza“, with the same accompaniment figure. Giuseppe Taddei offers a very refined interpretation, with many nuances, ranging from the character's tender-love singing to his wife and son, to jealous fury in the cabaletta (3:13). Even when the tenor character
