Here are some things I’ve learned from her over the years:
* Bring yourself to the music — There are a lot of people that have great vocal technique but you don’t feel the magic when they sing. Music is not only about technique but it is about emotion and you need to combine those things. But you can only be free to make music if you have the voice in order
* Study like a craftsman — Bartoli knows that craft is honed over a lifetime; even the master craftsman has skills to refine and new knowledge to acquire. She has an intense love of the craft of singing including obsessing over the wishes of composers
* Pressure is a privilege — Nerves are needed - and natural but after that we need to go. We need to try our best to not get in our own way - we need to approach our performances “con gioio” (“with joy”) as she says. Pressure makes us better. Life is short. We can't let opportunities to test ourselves pass us by.
* Slow and steady wins — She has a gift + intelligence + patience - Bartoli has always kept her appearances strictly rationed - which is what makes her performances special (not least because she dislikes air travel). Nobody ever leaves a Bartoli concert feeling that they've been short-changed.
As I gain more exposure to the broad terrain of mezzo soprano voices, I am fascinated by artists like Cecilia Bartoli, whose shimmering virtuosity transcends her advantageous family background, training, the exigencies of certain arias, and an audience's familiarity with the opera canon. The natural colors of her voice, distinguish her as different from, and arguably superior to, others in this category. Blessed with a phenomenal voice, I love that she imbues it with her own personality, flavor, an ethereal tone and a remarkable elasticity. It's difficult to know what combination of qualities makes for the star power of a diva (or any other great opera performer). I just never tire of listening to her perform.
I find myself thinking about the voice, like any other creative talent, is organic. A voice like Bartoli's would not have been manifested without people willing to look for it, identify it and cultivate it. This is why parents, teachers and mentors should demand an end to chronic underfunding and neglect of arts education. The arts are no less essential for human growth and development than scientific and technological proficiency. Without greater outreach to the broader public and living wages for arts workers, this sector will continue to be insular, its productions costly, its audiences elite and public access limited, largely due to the primacy of the profit motive and commercial success in the arts world.
My hope for democratization and greater access to the arts therefore lies in non-formal settings and the internet. Schools and parents are so beleaguered these days, adding this to their plates may be a bridge too far. (End of rant!)
“If it’s a great voice you've been born with, more than likely, you don’t have a voice teacher living in the house to work with you daily to uncover your gift like Cecilia.”
We must be diligent about helping children (and adults!) uncover their gifts - whatever those may be!
Oh my goodness, it's like I picked up on your vibe. I'm so glad you've posted this. We were already losing the battle to generate enough creative spaces for new talents to emerge and grow in all of the arts. I can enjoy a revival, or a remake of a classic work. Some art stands the test of time, and we needn't reinvent the wheel. Sometimes it I wonder, though, if we've run out of new ideas, or fear innovation, or just want to stay in our safe place. Maybe I'm projecting, but the pandemic has made people and institutions a bit more uncertain, more tentative and unwilling to take risks. All the more reason why children need to create, look at, listen to, perform and consume art. Art is the warm embrace of beauty, healing and human connection that all of us need in these challenging times. At any rate, glad for your thoughts and love for St. Cecilia.🎻
Here are some things I’ve learned from her over the years:
* Bring yourself to the music — There are a lot of people that have great vocal technique but you don’t feel the magic when they sing. Music is not only about technique but it is about emotion and you need to combine those things. But you can only be free to make music if you have the voice in order
* Study like a craftsman — Bartoli knows that craft is honed over a lifetime; even the master craftsman has skills to refine and new knowledge to acquire. She has an intense love of the craft of singing including obsessing over the wishes of composers
* Pressure is a privilege — Nerves are needed - and natural but after that we need to go. We need to try our best to not get in our own way - we need to approach our performances “con gioio” (“with joy”) as she says. Pressure makes us better. Life is short. We can't let opportunities to test ourselves pass us by.
* Slow and steady wins — She has a gift + intelligence + patience - Bartoli has always kept her appearances strictly rationed - which is what makes her performances special (not least because she dislikes air travel). Nobody ever leaves a Bartoli concert feeling that they've been short-changed.
As I gain more exposure to the broad terrain of mezzo soprano voices, I am fascinated by artists like Cecilia Bartoli, whose shimmering virtuosity transcends her advantageous family background, training, the exigencies of certain arias, and an audience's familiarity with the opera canon. The natural colors of her voice, distinguish her as different from, and arguably superior to, others in this category. Blessed with a phenomenal voice, I love that she imbues it with her own personality, flavor, an ethereal tone and a remarkable elasticity. It's difficult to know what combination of qualities makes for the star power of a diva (or any other great opera performer). I just never tire of listening to her perform.
I find myself thinking about the voice, like any other creative talent, is organic. A voice like Bartoli's would not have been manifested without people willing to look for it, identify it and cultivate it. This is why parents, teachers and mentors should demand an end to chronic underfunding and neglect of arts education. The arts are no less essential for human growth and development than scientific and technological proficiency. Without greater outreach to the broader public and living wages for arts workers, this sector will continue to be insular, its productions costly, its audiences elite and public access limited, largely due to the primacy of the profit motive and commercial success in the arts world.
My hope for democratization and greater access to the arts therefore lies in non-formal settings and the internet. Schools and parents are so beleaguered these days, adding this to their plates may be a bridge too far. (End of rant!)
Agree 1000% and love this comment so much.
I had this line in the first draft of my post:
“If it’s a great voice you've been born with, more than likely, you don’t have a voice teacher living in the house to work with you daily to uncover your gift like Cecilia.”
We must be diligent about helping children (and adults!) uncover their gifts - whatever those may be!
Oh my goodness, it's like I picked up on your vibe. I'm so glad you've posted this. We were already losing the battle to generate enough creative spaces for new talents to emerge and grow in all of the arts. I can enjoy a revival, or a remake of a classic work. Some art stands the test of time, and we needn't reinvent the wheel. Sometimes it I wonder, though, if we've run out of new ideas, or fear innovation, or just want to stay in our safe place. Maybe I'm projecting, but the pandemic has made people and institutions a bit more uncertain, more tentative and unwilling to take risks. All the more reason why children need to create, look at, listen to, perform and consume art. Art is the warm embrace of beauty, healing and human connection that all of us need in these challenging times. At any rate, glad for your thoughts and love for St. Cecilia.🎻