Il Bacio - Luigi Arditi

Luigi Arditi (1822-1903) was an Italian violinist, composer and conductor. He began his musical career as a violinist, and studied music at the Conservatory of Milan. Arditi's best-known works are the opera's: I Briganti, II Corsaro, and La Spia. In addition he wrote numerous songs and vocal waltzes like Le Tortorelle (The Dove), Se Saran Rose (Rosebuds) and Parla (Speak!). But the most popular song Arditi composed is Il Bacio (The Kiss) which was dedicated to Marietta Piccolomini, to a text specially written by baritone Gottardo Aldighieri. Il Bacio is nowadays sung by all great singers and is has become so popular that even an orchestral version has conquered the lighter concert reprtoire.