But Gluck’s choice of key was deliberate. The mourning was to be achieved with the simplicity of the aria and the orchestral accompaniment, only briefly turning to the minor key. Contrary to opera seria conventions, the reformist Gluck wanted to eliminate all artificial ornamentation of the singers and deliberately dispensed with ornamentation.
This aspect (see also the interpretations below) led to the discussion whether ornamentation is permitted in this aria.
However, the effect that Gluck made with this aria is grandiose, contemporaries like Rousseau were enthusiastic and the aria became perhaps the first super-hit in opera history.
The aria is written in the form of a rondo, the main theme returning twice (A-B-A-C-A). It begins with an almost cheerful Allegretto by the orchestra, but its dotted strings indicate Euridice’s excitement:
The large and long “rispondi” is a highlight and ends in a dramatic forte:
A sudden change to the Adagio, Euridice’s begging for an answer is a short, quivering love song:
The piece returns to the Allegretto, which ends in a desperate cry of “Euridice”:
After a passage of quiet desperation written in piano, Gluck raises dispair with a big crescendo:
The mood turns tragic, the key changes to a minor key:
The aria ends with the question “Where will I go without my beloved”:
