"Sebben, crudele" is an aria from Antonio Caldara's 1710 opera, La costanza in amor vince l'inganno (Faithfulness in love conquers treachery). It comes from the third scene of the opera's first act, and is sung by the character Aminta after his lover, Siliva, has become inexplicably cruel and unresponsive.
Although the opera itself has been rarely performed in modern times, Sebben, crudele remains a popular concert aria. It has been recorded by Cecilia Bartoli, Beniamino Gigli and Janet Baker, amongst others.
Text Italian Translation in EnglishSebben, crudele, mi fai languir, sempre fedele ti voglio amar. Con la lunghezza del mio servir la tua fierezza saprò stancar.Although, cruel one, me you make languish, always faithful you I want to love. With the length of my servitude your pride, I will know how to wear down.
Bibliography Anthology of Italian Song of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries - Selected and edited with biographical notes by Alessandro Parisotti, G. Schirmer, 1926
References
External links The LiederNet Archive