By Redolia · Published September 29, 2026
Sospiro is an Italian niche perfume house created by Sergio Momo, who founded it with Dominique Salvo. Every fragrance is an eau de parfum in a velvet-covered flacon with a gold crown cap, and the names come from classical music and opera. Redolia stocks all 27 current releases, priced from $217 for 75 ml to $362 for 100 ml.
The story of Sospiro
Momo is direct about what the house is for. "The artistic idea behind it is to connect a perfume collection that has Italian or Mediterranean backgrounds to another form of art, which is typically Italian — the art of classical music and theatrical opera." That explains the naming, which is otherwise baffling from outside: Bel Canto, Contralto, Tenore, Basso, Cadenza, Vibrato, Opera Grande, Prima Donna, Traviata, Dolce Sonata. These are voice types, musical terms and opera titles, not fragrance descriptions.
The bottle is the other half of it. Momo describes the butterfly on the medallion as "the link between the perfume itself and the final client, it is considered a symbol of love", and the velvet surface as an interpretation of butterfly wings. Each fragrance gets its own colour of velvet, which is why a full shelf of these looks like a paint chart and why customers pick one up before they smell anything.
One thing worth correcting, because the internet repeats it constantly: Sospiro is not a Xerjoff sub-brand. Momo created both houses, but asked directly he stated that "Sospiro does not form part of the Xerjoff portfolio". They share a founder and a standard of presentation, not a catalogue. Note also that Erba Pura is a Xerjoff fragrance while Erba Pura Magica is Sospiro's — two different bottles from two different houses, and the single most common mix-up we field about this brand.
Eighteen of the 27 are by Christian Provenzano, which gives the core line one recognisable hand. The 2025 releases brought in five other perfumers and moved most of the newcomers to a 75 ml bottle at $217 — the cheapest entry the house has offered.
Every Sospiro fragrance we carry, explained
Sospiro Erba Pura Magica (2022)
Bright fruit over bergamot and jasmine, balsamic notes and orris underneath, caramel and musk below. The loudest thing the house makes and the bottle customers name first. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Erba Pura Magica — $270 / 100 ml
Sospiro Accento Viola (2022)
Hyacinth and pineapple open, iris and jasmine sit in the middle, musk and patchouli close it. The iris keeps the pineapple from reading as juice. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Accento Viola — $314 / 100 ml
Sospiro Opera Grande (2022)
Turkish rose and fruit over ylang-ylang, leather and nutmeg, landing on cedar, patchouli and vetiver. The most formal thing here, and the most expensive. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Opera Grande — $362 / 100 ml
Sospiro Afgano Puro (2022)
Herbal green into cedar and patchouli, then tobacco, musk and vanilla. The closest Sospiro gets to a smoky woody. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Afgano Puro — $362 / 100 ml
Sospiro Basso (2022)
Grapefruit alone up top, then carnation, labdanum and mayflower, then vetiver, cedar, oakmoss and guaiac. A proper dry chypre structure. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Basso — $326 / 100 ml
Sospiro Tenore (2022)
Lavender and lemon open, spices, resin, leather and clove build the heart, woods and patchouli finish. Barbershop bones with a leather middle. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Tenore — $326 / 100 ml
Sospiro Vibrato (2022)
Grapefruit and bergamot with jasmine and magnolia, ginger and powder in the heart, musk, cedar and orris below. The cleanest of the woody florals. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Vibrato — $326 / 100 ml
Sospiro Cadenza (2022)
Jasmine and bergamot over woods, lily-of-the-valley and green notes, with musk, vetiver and sandalwood underneath. Green and quiet. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Cadenza — $287 / 100 ml
Sospiro Bel Canto (2022)
Citrus and jasmine, then powder, violet and green notes, then sandalwood, musk and vanilla. The softest thing in the 2022 line. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Bel Canto — $287 / 100 ml
Sospiro Pasticcio (2022)
Green notes, orange blossom, mimosa and rose over orris, jasmine, ylang-ylang and violet, finishing on sandalwood, iris, cedar and musk. A full white-floral bouquet. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Pasticcio — $287 / 100 ml
Sospiro Contralto (2022)
Orange blossom, pink pepper and clove, then juniper, chestnut and guaiac, then cashmeran, vanilla and Peru balsam. Chestnut appears nowhere else on this page. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Contralto — $287 / 100 ml
Sospiro Liberto (2022)
Peach, jasmine, bergamot and lavender, then green notes, spices and ozonic notes, then amber, patchouli and vanilla. Fresh and fruity at once. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Liberto — $314 / 100 ml
Sospiro Prima Donna (2022)
Cherry and fruit with rose and jasmine, then leather, milk and green notes, then amber, chocolate and cedar. Cherry and leather together, rarer than it sounds. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Prima Donna — $287 / 100 ml
Sospiro Erba Oud (2022)
Citrus, then melon, peach, apple and saffron, then oud, leather, vanilla and musk. The fruity reading of oud rather than the medicinal one. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Erba Oud — $287 / 100 ml
Sospiro Erba Leather (2022)
Passionfruit, bergamot and lemon over leather, jasmine and sandalwood, with more leather and vetiver below. Tropical fruit against hide, and it works. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Erba Leather — $326 / 100 ml
Sospiro Deep Ocean Amber (2023)
Ambrette and elemi, then styrax and violet, then ambergris, labdanum and benzoin. Nine materials, and the most restrained fragrance the house makes. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Deep Ocean Amber — $362 / 100 ml
Sospiro Dolce Melodia (2023)
Mandarin, orange and saffron over pear, blackcurrant, gardenia and rose, closing on white musk and sandalwood. Saffron lifts it above a simple fruity floral. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Dolce Melodia — $314 / 100 ml
Sospiro Maraschino (2024)
Cherry, strawberry, peach and almond, then jasmine sambac, mimosa, heliotrope and rose, then musk, vanilla, sandalwood and tonka. The almond makes it marzipan rather than jam. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Maraschino — $326 / 100 ml
Sospiro Traviata (2024)
Lavender, citrus and herbs into fruit and spices, landing on amberwood, patchouli and cedarwood. The most wearable recent release. Composed by Christian Provenzano. Sospiro Traviata — $326 / 100 ml
Sospiro Dolce Sonata (2024)
Raspberry, apricot, lime and sweet orange, then incense with osmanthus, jasmine and rose, then cotton candy and patchouli. Incense against candy floss is the whole idea. Composed by Salah Al Zarouni. Sospiro Dolce Sonata — $326 / 100 ml
Sospiro Il Padrino (2025)
Blackcurrant, rum, amaretto and bergamot over amber, patchouli and sandalwood, finishing on vanilla and benzoin. Boozy in a way the rest of the line is not. Composed by Nathalie Templer. Sospiro Il Padrino — $326 / 100 ml
Sospiro Vibranna (2025)
Orris and bergamot, then moss, lily-of-the-valley and nutmeg, then musk, patchouli and amber. A genuine chypre, which almost nobody launches now. Composed by Salah Al Zarouni. Sospiro Vibranna — $326 / 100 ml
Sospiro Aira (2025)
Incense, amber and patchouli up front, labdanum, cumin and earth in the heart, oud and ambergris below. The darkest of the 2025 releases. Composed by Nathalie Templer. Sospiro Aira — $217 / 75 ml
Sospiro Farsa (2025)
Saffron, rum and blackcurrant over amber, cocoa and cedarwood, then patchouli, oud and ambergris. Cocoa and saffron together, and it reads rich rather than sweet. Composed by Anne-Louise Gautier. Sospiro Farsa — $217 / 75 ml
Sospiro Cavatina (2025)
Pomegranate, blackcurrant and mandarin, then apple, magnolia, freesia and jasmine, then grenadine, ambroxan and white musk. The brightest thing in the range. Composed by Elodie Bernard. Sospiro Cavatina — $217 / 75 ml
Sospiro Diva (2025)
Ylang-ylang, bergamot and peach over jasmine, iris, rose and carnation, closing on white musk, vanilla and sandalwood. A classical floral amber. Composed by Elodie Bernard. Sospiro Diva — $217 / 75 ml
Sospiro Viola (2025)
Lemon, clary sage, juniper and pepper, then rosemary, ambergris and incense, then cedarwood, sandalwood, vetiver and oakmoss. A dry Mediterranean herbal. Composed by Dominique Moellhausen. Sospiro Viola — $217 / 75 ml
Sospiro comparison table
| Fragrance | Family | Best for | Season | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erba Pura Magica | Fruity | Fruity crowd-pleaser | Year-round | $270 / 100 ml |
| Accento Viola | Floral Fruity | Iris with fruit | Spring, autumn | $314 / 100 ml |
| Opera Grande | Woody Floral | Formal rose-leather | Cold weather | $362 / 100 ml |
| Afgano Puro | Woody Aromatic | Dark dry woods | Cold weather | $362 / 100 ml |
| Basso | Woody Aromatic | Dry chypre woods | Autumn | $326 / 100 ml |
| Tenore | Woody Aromatic | Aromatic leather | Cold weather | $326 / 100 ml |
| Vibrato | Woody Floral | Clean woody floral | Year-round | $326 / 100 ml |
| Cadenza | Woody Floral | Green florals | Spring | $287 / 100 ml |
| Bel Canto | Floral Woody | Powdery violet | Spring | $287 / 100 ml |
| Pasticcio | Floral Woody | White floral bouquet | Spring, summer | $287 / 100 ml |
| Contralto | Woody Spicy | Spiced chestnut | Autumn | $287 / 100 ml |
| Liberto | Fruity Floral | Fresh fruity | Spring, summer | $314 / 100 ml |
| Prima Donna | Fruity Leathery | Cherry and leather | Cold weather | $287 / 100 ml |
| Erba Oud | Woody Fruity | Fruity oud | Year-round | $287 / 100 ml |
| Erba Leather | Leathery | Fruity leather | Autumn | $326 / 100 ml |
| Deep Ocean Amber | Amber | Minimal amber | Cold weather | $362 / 100 ml |
| Dolce Melodia | Floral Fruity | Saffron fruity floral | Year-round | $314 / 100 ml |
| Maraschino | Fruity Floral | Cherry almond gourmand | Cold weather | $326 / 100 ml |
| Traviata | Aromatic Woody | Everyday aromatic | Year-round | $326 / 100 ml |
| Dolce Sonata | Fruity Floral | Sweet with incense | Cold weather | $326 / 100 ml |
| Il Padrino | Amber Woody | Boozy amber | Cold weather | $326 / 100 ml |
| Vibranna | Chypre Floral | Modern chypre | Autumn | $326 / 100 ml |
| Aira | Amber Woody | Dark incense oud | Cold weather | $217 / 75 ml |
| Farsa | Amber Woody | Cocoa saffron amber | Cold weather | $217 / 75 ml |
| Cavatina | Fruity Floral | Bright red fruit | Spring, summer | $217 / 75 ml |
| Diva | Amber Floral | Classical floral amber | Autumn | $217 / 75 ml |
| Viola | Woody Aromatic | Mediterranean herbal | Spring, summer | $217 / 75 ml |
Which Sospiro fragrance should you choose?
Start with Erba Pura Magica. It is the house signature, the cheapest of the 100 ml bottles at $270, and the one that will tell you fastest whether this style is yours. If bright fruit is not your thing, start with Vibrato or Traviata instead — both are wearable at work and neither will be commented on.
Skip Deep Ocean Amber as a first purchase. It is $362 for the most restrained thing the house makes, built on nine materials, and it only makes sense once you already know what the loud end sounds like. Skip Erba Oud if you own Erba Leather — they share the fruity-opening-over-dark-base structure and the leather is the better of the two.
For cold weather: Il Padrino if you want booze, Maraschino if you want cherry and almond, and Afgano Puro if you want dry and dark. The five 75 ml releases at $217 — Aira, Farsa, Cavatina, Diva and Viola — are the cheapest way to try the house, and Viola is the odd one out worth knowing about: a dry Mediterranean herbal that sounds nothing like the rest.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sospiro?
Sospiro is an Italian niche perfume house created by Sergio Momo, who founded it with Dominique Salvo. Every fragrance is an eau de parfum in a velvet-covered flacon with a gold crown cap, and the names come from classical music and opera - Bel Canto, Contralto, Tenore, Opera Grande, Vibrato. Redolia stocks all 27 current releases, from $217 to $362.
Is Sospiro the same as Xerjoff?
No, and the founder says so himself. Sergio Momo created both, but asked directly about the relationship he stated that 'Sospiro does not form part of the Xerjoff portfolio'. They share a creator and a standard of presentation, not a catalogue. Treat them as two houses by the same person.
Why are Sospiro bottles velvet?
Because of the butterfly. Momo describes the butterfly as 'the link between the perfume itself and the final client, it is considered a symbol of love', and the velvet surface of the flacon as an interpretation of butterfly wings. Each fragrance gets its own colour, which is why a shelf of them looks like a paint chart.
Is Sospiro worth it?
At $217 to $362 it sits in the upper half of niche pricing, and the performance is where the money goes - reviewers on Fragrantica and Parfumo consistently describe the house as above average on both longevity and sillage, with Erba Pura Magica the most cited for wear time. The case against is that several of the fruity releases occupy similar ground. Sample two or three before committing.
Which Sospiro fragrance is the best seller?
Erba Pura Magica, by a clear margin, and it is the one customers name before they have smelled anything else. It is a bright fruit-and-bergamot opening over balsamic notes and orris, finishing on caramel, musk, amber and cedar. At $270 for 100 ml it is also the cheapest of the 100 ml bottles.
Is Sospiro unisex?
Yes, the whole line is sold without gender. The opera names point at voice types rather than at men or women, and the fruity florals and the dry woods are both worn across the board in our shop. Diva and Cavatina lean conventionally feminine, Basso and Afgano Puro conventionally masculine, but none is marketed that way.
Which Sospiro should I try first?
Erba Pura Magica if you want to understand why people talk about the house. Vibrato or Traviata if you want something you can wear to work without comment. Skip Deep Ocean Amber as a first purchase - at $362 for the most restrained fragrance in the range it is a bottle for someone who already knows the house.
All 27 are in stock and ship from New Jersey. With a range this size the sensible move is to narrow it on skin rather than on a screen. The full range sits on our Sospiro collection, most of it under Christian Provenzano on our perfumer pages, and if fruity ambers are what brought you here our guide to the best oud perfumes covers where Erba Oud sits against the rest. All 27 bottles are open on the counter at our Somerville, New Jersey boutique. Questions: info@redolia.com.
Updated September 2026.