Cecilia Bartoli

[Maciek]

Well... she is one of my favorite singers, so I won't mind a thread dedicated to her recordings.

I know she is extremely popular (which makes her an easy bashing target) but I really don't think that the fact that her CDs are sold in other places except for that remote Romanian castle is such a great detriment.

I wonder what the opinions of other GMG members are. Do you like her? Do you hate her? Why? Do you have any favorite recordings?

I understand her Gluck disc is a bit controversial because her singing goes against what Gluck's philosophy of music would have required?

[Siedler]

She's coming here but unfortunately it's too pricey and the venue is awful. 

[Don]

Well... she is one of my favorite singers, so I won't mind a thread dedicated to her recordings.

I know she is extremely popular (which makes her an easy bashing target) but I really don't think that the fact that her CDs are sold in other places except for that remote Romanian castle is such a great detriment.

I wonder what the opinions of other GMG members are. Do you like her? Do you hate her? Why? Do you have any favorite recordings?

She's okay, but not significant in my world of music.  Also, her chunky physical qualities aren't any help.

[bhodges]

I like her just fine...saw her in (IIRC) the televised Cosi fan tutte and thought she was charming.  I also saw her (again, televised) in a Vivaldi concert and thought she was marvelous in that.  As a PS, through her I also found out about Il Giardino Armonico, whose Vivaldi performances rather changed how I look at that composer.  I was pretty burnt out on his work until they came along.

Now if only she could be convinced to sing some Ferneyhough...

--Bruce

[Lady Chatterley]

I like her just fine...saw her in (IIRC) the televised Cosi fan tutte and thought she was charming.  I also saw her (again, televised) in a Vivaldi concert and thought she was marvelous in that.  As a PS, through her I also found out about Il Giardino Armonico, whose Vivaldi performances rather changed how I look at that composer.  I was pretty burnt out on his work until they came along.

Now if only she could be convinced to sing some Ferneyhough...

--Bruce

Ferneyhough? she might do it. Love her singing Vivaldi's Spoza son despresata.Fabulous!

[Maciek]

She's okay, but not significant in my world of music.  Also, her chunky physical qualities aren't any help.

What's the connection?

[Maciek]

Now if only she could be convinced to sing some Ferneyhough...

[Maciek]

That Vivaldi album was actually the first Bartoli I ever bought. It was the other way around with me, Bruce: I knew Giardino Armonico and thought "wonder who this radiant singer on the cover of the new Giardino Armonico album is? let's try it" . The effect that CD had on me is difficult to describe. Nothing else I've heard from her so far surpasses it.

[Lady Chatterley]

Love her Mozart and Rossini too.She can do amazing things with her voice.

[lukeottevanger]

...through her I also found out about Il Giardino Armonico, whose Vivaldi performances rather changed how I look at that composer.

Ditto - I've searched out quite a few of their recordings on the strength of that disc. Actually, I think she herself is also pretty gorgeous on their Vivaldi disc (maybe Bruce does too, wasn't sure from the above!). There are some real belters there.... Of CB, I only have the Vivaldi, Gluck and Salieri discs (they are almost like a set-of-three, with similar sumptuous packaging and their shared intent to unearth little known opera). There's something to like very much on all of them, but it's the Vivaldi I return to most.

[Harry]

Saw her on a German talkshow not to long ago. Out of the blue she started singing Vivaldi, only with her voice, and apart from the natural vibrato, she convinced me, with her charm and good natured spirit.
A lovely lady to be sure!

[knight66]

Sorry, I have just not been able to 'get' her. I have a few of her discs, Gluck, Vivaldi, Rossini. My ear soon tires of the rat-a-tat colouratura and I sometimes feel the vibrancy has really become an inherent vibrato. She did a disc of French songs....I liked that. But usually I feel I am enduring her as I know it must be good, but then I come to my original opinion that basically I don't get along with her voice.

She was on a TV relay last week of Don Giovanni. I know Anna can be sung as an angry harridan, but I found it tiring on the ear and eye, the spitfire delivery and the whole body shake needed to accomplish it.



Mike

[Maciek]

Well, at least I learned a new word (harridan). Actually, I like her Mozart least. But my general impression is of course not as bad as yours, Mike. I do like her. 0:)

Has anyone seen the DVD of Cenerentola? My favorite opera DVD, even if the set design is a little flat. The whole cast is marvelous (different than on the CD, which I don't have anyway). And Bartoli absolutely can't act. But musically - definitely my favorite opera DVD.

[Don]

What's the connection?

Opera has a strong visual element.

[Maciek]

But don't "chunky physical qualities" usually enhance the quality of the voice (e.g. when Callas slimmed down her voice lost a little bit of its initial color)?

[Maciek]

I've been listening to Cecilia quite a bit these last few days and have come to 2 interesting conclusions:

1) Mike, I think I can understand why your reaction remains lukewarm. You're not fond of Rossini so I gather you are not fond of the sort of vocal virtuosity that Bartoli specializes in (I suppose some would call the type "empty" virtuosity - but I wouldn't! ). It's wonderful to hear a voice as naturally flexible as hers but if one doesn't like cascading coloraturas I'm sure one will become tired of it very quickly. I for one do not get tired and find her dazzling every time I listen. But I can now see (and I didn't in the past, so this is my great discovery ) what the people who dislike her mean. Not that I can understand it. And as far as her physical qualities are concerned, I think she's a very beautiful woman, "chunkiness" notwithstanding.

2) I am now ready to list my 4 favorite Cecilia Bartoli discs. The order is random, I find it impossible to single anything out:


The Vivaldi Album. The one that started it all. I bought it for my wife who liked Il Giardino Armonico very much. It came to be one of my best purchases ever.


Opera proibita. Another one with an excellent ensemble in the background (and sometimes in the foreground too). I find it just as enjoyable and even a bit more colorfull (not that the Vivaldi was colorless but it was all by one composer).


Mozart Arias (Decca). I find this one much better than the Mozart Arias on Erato (with Harnoncourt and Barenboim). I could listen to it all day, day after day, after day. Well... maybe I am exaggerating. A little!


Rossini Heroines. Much better than the Rossini disc with Patané, if you ask me. And, well, I know I said I couldn't single one out but I have to admit: currently, this is my favorite Cecilia Bartoli disc. Simply lovely!

Cheers,
Maciek

[Guido]

Why do I like her? Because she sticks to what she is good at, what she enjoys singing and the results are just incredibly beautiful. I think she is best in Baroque repertoire - Handel's Rinaldo is just stunning (along with the brilliant counter tenor David Daniels). Lascia ch'io pianga mia cruda sorte is a particular highlight. Clips:

http://www.amazon.com/Rinaldo-George-Frideric-Handel/dp/samples/B00006YYJ1/ref=dp_tracks_all_1/102-3810771-9378539?ie=UTF8&qid=1177628177&sr=8-4#disc_1

[Maciek]

I'm ashamed to say I haven't got a single complete opera audio recording with Bartoli. After robbing my next bank, I'll start amending that with the Rinaldo.

I do have 3 DVDs: Il Barbiere, which was recorded before she became famous. It's not a very good production, IMO - very chaotic at times, and not all of the singing is first rate, so generally I wouldn't recommend this to anyone except die hard Bartoli fans. La Cenerentola, which I mentioned before. One of my favorite opera DVDs (I only have and have seen about 15 though, so I wouldn't call myself opinionated). And Il Turco in Italia, which I haven't seen yet. One thing I have to say is that she's not much of an actress. But I still say it's a pleasure to look at her, especially those sparkling eyes!

I also have 2 recital DVDs, both are excellent and different from their CD counterparts, AFAIK: Live in Italy and A Portrait (which also contains a very enjoyable documentary about her - again a pleasure to watch, mainly because of her endearing personality).

I agree with you, Guido, that her singing is incredibly beautiful and that (unlike many singers) she usually sticks to what she is good at (discovering unrecorded repertoire on the way too!) but I have heard serious criticism of her Gluck disc. I have that one too and personally I like it but people far more knowledgeable than myself have told me that that is no way to sing Gluck - that his music is ascetic and austere, and she makes it sound as if it was written by Rossini. And after hearing that opinion, I still like that CD.

[Harry Collier]

I have her in Handel's Rinaldo, but don't like it much. Her voice just sounds wrong for the part, and the vibrato is intrusive. And Lascia ch'io pianga is taken so slowly it just falls to pieces.

[Hector]

But don't "chunky physical qualities" usually enhance the quality of the voice (e.g. when Callas slimmed down her voice lost a little bit of its initial color)?

Don't listen to him, he bought the complete recorded works of Hans Huber, so , what does he know, zilch or should that be zilcho?

I bought the Vivaldi and Gluck, the former akin to concertos for voice and orchestra. Brilliant but I can understand some finding one virtuosic aria after the next a bit ear wearing (but why is this acceptable for piano or violin virtuoso pieces?). The Salieri I passed on, only ever found one work from this composer I actually liked(someone for Harry to report on).

I have a number of her complete recordings but I cannot remember which (shows how long I've had them).

An Italian with a great voice, intelligence and a pneumatic figure. What else do you want from the woman? Sex?