The works for solo voice(s) and orchestra assembled in this volume owe their composition to the most diverse occasions. Some were tailor-made for female singers in Beethoven’s milieu, while with others he was dabbling in the field of Italian opera (under the tutelage of none other than Antonio Salieri). Scarcely any of them made it into print during Beethoven’s lifetime. Aside from canonical works of the repertoire such as “Ah! perfido” op. 65, this volume also contains unknown gems like the scene and aria Beethoven revised multiple times, “No, non turbarti” – “Ma tu tremi, o mio tesoro?”.

The study score contains the text of the scholarly Complete Edition. Beethoven specialist Ernst Herttrich additionally provides information about the genesis and exciting variants in the transmission history.