The una voce poco fa is a great find. I loved the uniquely mezzo like cadenzas so unlike most sopranos who have ventured into the role She is one of the most rare singers whose voice is like a cloud suspended in air seemingly being watched by her and the audience.
This is such a beautifully written essay, one that could only have been written by a fan with actual training as a singer and performer, expertise in the craftsmanship required, and insider knowledge on what makes Cecilia Bartoli one of the top opera singers alive today. I have yet to listen to the selections here, but I remember being enthralled by Cecilia Bartoli's magnificent voice and persona when you first presented her to us. I am impressed that she and Beverly Sills moved from stellar careers on stage, to handling the nuts and bolts of opera administration and production - Sills at the Met and Bartoli at Salzburg and Monte Carlo. Based on what I've learned so far, don't most divas graduate to master classes or to a well-deserved retirement? They must be rare songbirds, indeed.👏🏽🥂
So glad you enjoyed it! I think you are right although some do move into administration and artistic staff but I think the norm is on the performing/artist side. Although Domingo is conducting so there is that!
A few years back a friend of mine and I went to Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall to witness Cecilia perform “La Cenerentola” and were amazed her coloratura performance in the part! We spent the drive back to the Wirral peninsula discussing her and wishing we were of that quality in our own (amateur) singing! The fact that, in these later years, we HAVEN’T ever gone beyond that level would seem to indicate that this was a forlorn hope!
I'm reminded by this post of the lives of Callas and Caballe both of whom spent, literally, years in training before they sang in public (as do all of the people who make careers in performance). Caballe talked about spending the entire first year of her training only on scales singing no words whatever; that this was the foundation of her truly astounding breath control and exquisite pianissimos. A vocal gift (as I can attest) is not enough -- one must really want, and like, to practice (which I did not like to do). Ms. Bartoli's gifts, like their gifts, were but the beginning and we are the better that she built on them and then gave that to the world.
Cecilia was just coming up as the darling in the classical world when I got more seriously interested in my own musical tastes and singing. It's funny, I almost took it for granted that her level of excellence was just sort of normal 'good.' Like, 'oh yeah, that's what classical voice sounds like.' LOL. Thank you for featuring her here. I also love how she has leant her presence to up-and-coming Lea Desandre from this generation of mezzos on Lea's album 'Amazone.'
Bartolli is one of the great singers of our time. I heard her Met debut in Cenerentolla and a Mozart where she got lost in The Met shuffle. How can the Met ignore so many singers and present stupid atrocious productions that dissemble opera itself ?
The una voce poco fa is a great find. I loved the uniquely mezzo like cadenzas so unlike most sopranos who have ventured into the role She is one of the most rare singers whose voice is like a cloud suspended in air seemingly being watched by her and the audience.
well said!
Bob is correct.
This is such a beautifully written essay, one that could only have been written by a fan with actual training as a singer and performer, expertise in the craftsmanship required, and insider knowledge on what makes Cecilia Bartoli one of the top opera singers alive today. I have yet to listen to the selections here, but I remember being enthralled by Cecilia Bartoli's magnificent voice and persona when you first presented her to us. I am impressed that she and Beverly Sills moved from stellar careers on stage, to handling the nuts and bolts of opera administration and production - Sills at the Met and Bartoli at Salzburg and Monte Carlo. Based on what I've learned so far, don't most divas graduate to master classes or to a well-deserved retirement? They must be rare songbirds, indeed.👏🏽🥂
So glad you enjoyed it! I think you are right although some do move into administration and artistic staff but I think the norm is on the performing/artist side. Although Domingo is conducting so there is that!
A few years back a friend of mine and I went to Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall to witness Cecilia perform “La Cenerentola” and were amazed her coloratura performance in the part! We spent the drive back to the Wirral peninsula discussing her and wishing we were of that quality in our own (amateur) singing! The fact that, in these later years, we HAVEN’T ever gone beyond that level would seem to indicate that this was a forlorn hope!
Love this memory, Roger! Thank you for sharing!
I'm reminded by this post of the lives of Callas and Caballe both of whom spent, literally, years in training before they sang in public (as do all of the people who make careers in performance). Caballe talked about spending the entire first year of her training only on scales singing no words whatever; that this was the foundation of her truly astounding breath control and exquisite pianissimos. A vocal gift (as I can attest) is not enough -- one must really want, and like, to practice (which I did not like to do). Ms. Bartoli's gifts, like their gifts, were but the beginning and we are the better that she built on them and then gave that to the world.
So well said
Cecilia was just coming up as the darling in the classical world when I got more seriously interested in my own musical tastes and singing. It's funny, I almost took it for granted that her level of excellence was just sort of normal 'good.' Like, 'oh yeah, that's what classical voice sounds like.' LOL. Thank you for featuring her here. I also love how she has leant her presence to up-and-coming Lea Desandre from this generation of mezzos on Lea's album 'Amazone.'
Same here! I feel like I grew up with her :-)
Bartolli is one of the great singers of our time. I heard her Met debut in Cenerentolla and a Mozart where she got lost in The Met shuffle. How can the Met ignore so many singers and present stupid atrocious productions that dissemble opera itself ?