macbeth (opera) is so right in giving the tenor character exactly one (1) aria tbh. & it's not this super big showpiece or duet with a love interest or The Thing Everyone Waits for, but "ah, la paterna mano" is literally so right.
Everyone I Loved Was Violently Murdered And If The Bastard Doesnt Pay I'd Rather Die: The Aria is in a super weird position, squished between "patria oppressa", which, if sung quietly well, is 10/10 haunting, and malcolm bursting in with the iconic birnam wood idea, hence setting the finale in motion. i love that the main vibe is still grief despite this desire for revenge, because it's the grief that came first, that feeds the rage, and that will still be there when revenge is taken. it's a bit metal that macduff is also praying to get to kill a guy, which is an...unusual prayer request, but literally so fair at this point. we don't always pray for nice, valiant, honourable things. we also yell at god. "ah, la paterna mano" is such a great yell at god.
& it doesn't get this showy placement bc most of the time, in these situations, they do happen in the margins, when there's little time to dwell and grieve and be a person. so literally everything about this aria is right rlly. just in a slightly hidden way.