[.ca] Live In Italy

From Amazon.co.uk:
In the beginning, Cecilia Bartoli seemed to do one thing better than anybody, i.e., Rossini arias, which would not guarantee a long career even for a singer of her ebullience. This live performance from the Teatro Olympico in Vincenza, Italy, shows how much she's expanded, both linguistically and musically. The first five selections reflect her new-found speciality, early opera. The three Caccini selections from the 17th century--accompanied by small string ensemble--are deeply felt and stylistically convincing enough to make one eager for future forays. She's guilty of spinning out Handel's "Lascia la spina" excessively but hits new heights of virtuosity in Vivaldi's "Agitata da due venti". The rest of the disc is for voice and piano, in a programme including both some genuine discoveries by French composer Pauline Viardot-Garcia that reveal the singer's increasing emotional depths and less consequential ones by Donizetti and Rossini. Bartoli also sings Spanish songs, most notably Montsalvatge's "Canto negro", proving that the singer doesn't venture into a new language until she can truly feel in it. Remarkably, her voice maintains its strength and body in the deeper, mezzo-ish regions as well as in the high, soprano-range areas. Might she have two voices? --David Patrick Stearns

Amazon.com essential recording:
In the beginning, Cecilia Bartoli seemed to do one thing better than anybody, i.e., Rossini arias, which would not guarantee a long career even for a singer of her ebullience. This live performance from the Teatro Olympico in Vincenza, Italy, shows how much she's expanded, both linguistically and musically. The first five selections reflect her newfound specialty, early opera. The three Caccini selections from the 17th century--accompanied by small string ensemble--are deeply felt and stylistically convincing enough to make one eager for future forays. She's guilty of spinning out Handel's "Lascia la spina" excessively but hits new heights of virtuosity in Vivaldi's "Agitata da due venti." The rest of the disc is for voice and piano, in a program including both some genuine discoveries by French composer Pauline Viardot-Garcia that reveal the singer's increasing emotional depths and less consequential ones by Donizetti and Rossini. Bartoli also sings Spanish songs, most notably Montsalvatge's "Canto negro," proving that the singer doesn't venture into a new language until she can truly feel in it. Remarkably, her voice maintains its strength and body in the deeper, mezzo-ish regions as well as in the high, soprano-range areas. Might she have two voices? --David Patrick Stearns

Un Essentiel amazon.fr:
Moi, une diva ? Une diva... Que veut dire "diva" aujourd'hui ? Je trouve cette expression très "old fashioned", un peu trop XIXe siècle à mon goût. En fait, il n'y a pas de diva : il y a la chanteuse, le chef d'orchestre, l'orchestre et nous faisons, ensemble, de la musique. Voilà pour ceux qui ont cru voir en Cecilia Bartoli la nouvelle mégastar du chant italien. Reste qu'en quelques années elle a réussi à s'imposer au sommet pour devenir la nouvelle référence rossinienne. À l'aise à la scène dans ce répertoire taillé sur mesure pour sa voix de mezzo, Cecilia Bartoli s'est également fait une spécialité du lied : "Faire de l'opéra, c'est bien, mais pas suffisant. J'ai aussi besoin de l'intimité que procure le récital et j'ai besoin de chanter de la poésie." Cecilia Bartoli, une grande cantatrice moderne, dont tous les talents se retrouvent dans ce concert au programme varié, magistralement rendu au disque. --Pierre Massé

why canto negro!?:
Like all I have heard from Bartoli before, this is a wonderful CD, mainly because she is such a unique artist. The only thing that really, really bothered me was the absurd inclusion of the horrific piece "Canto negro". It not only has nothing to do with the rest of the program, but the piece in itself --like everything I have heard before by the fiasco which Montsalvatge is-- is pretty bad, not worth of this beautiful selection. Bartoli should have never included it here.

This CD is for Mezzo fans!:
If you prefer heavy voice and live music, this Cd is for you. Otherwise you will be annoyed by the breathy tone and noise by the audiences. well, for that reason try to listen to before you buy. I prefer her studio recorded version better than this. once again, this CD is not for everyone. Do not be hoaxed by marketing or review by someone who prefers mezzo voice.

She is an angel:
I listen to this when I write, or when I just wish to be at peace. Cecilia Bartoli has a voice, a real voice, that transcends just singing.

One of my favourite Bartoli albums!:
I have completely fallen in love with this album! It illustrates quite candidly that Bartoli might be one of the greatest artists (or has the POTENTIAL to be one of the greats) of our time. This performace shows her growing agility and expanding repertoire. True, she does do Mozart and Rossini well, but I found the real jewels in this album were her arie antiche selections and the technically demanding Vivaldi. The "Canto Negro" was disturbing on the first listen, but more from the nature of the piece rather than Bartoli's rendering of it. The only piece that was somewhat peculiar, but still very beautiful, was the Carmen Seguedille. It was very seductive and Carmen-ish, but very different from all of the Carmens I've heard. Some might find it inappropriate, as it is not really in-line with the Carmen we all know and love, which I attribute to her lack of dramatic acting skills. She's wonderful in comedy. Her December Met performance of Susannah in M of Figaro was excellent; comical and well sung, but I have yet to see her handle a dramatic/tragic role. Only time will tell! Bartoli is definitely on her way, and this album shows her increasing boldness in venturing into new material. Although her pianissimo singing kind of leaves something to be desired (very breathy) and her lower range is admittedly dark and moderately swallowed, she does not seem to be suffering from these notoriously dangerous flaws. I was particularily impressed by her range. In the past she has stuck fairly close to traditional mezzo pieces, not venturing high up the staff, but this album is an exception. It is one if my favourite CDs currently because of the varied paces of the chosen pieces, and Cecilia's mastery of them (although I very often do not have it at home to listen to because all my friends are constantly borrowing it). Her accompaninest, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, is quite exceptional as well and does a great job of making her positive qualities shine through. I think everyone will find something delightful in this CD!

Exquisite:
"Her natural command of messa di voce phrasing, willingness to shade the voice away to the quietest pianissimo and acute sensitivity to the words of Caccini's love songs proved irresistible, attracting a generous mix of applause and foot stamping." Such was the appreciation from the audience that the director had to request that the audience not stamp their feet as they would set off the alarm system. There are hardly words to describe Cecilia Bartoli's remarkable vocal qualities, emotional range and warmth. When I listen to this CD, I am calmed completely. There is an element of comfort in her style. Maybe one could explain it as a lullaby for the soul. She has the ability to support the longest of phrases on the back of a single breath all while varying the tone color and dynamic level. Singing seems as effortless as breathing as she becomes emotion all while capturing the drama and mood. In this live performance from the Teatro Olympico in Vincenza, Italy, she performs each piece as if she is intimately entwined with the notes. How can music be this sensual and this comforting all at once? It just is. She can express a wide range of emotions, from profound despair to extreme joy. The Teatro Olimpico is the worlds' oldest surviving covered theatre. It has fine acoustics, a sky-blue ceiling and marble. Cecilia Bartoli wanted to perform in one of the great treasures of Italy's cultural heritage and this led to this live performance with concert pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet who seems to sense every emotion in Cecilia's voice. It is a sublime combination of talent which is further enhanced by violins, viola, cello, violone, archlute and harpsichord. Tu ch'hai le penne, Amore - A song to love asking love to fly to where the heart lies and to promise that his heart and soul were ever hers. Amarilli - Delicate and beautiful expression of true love. Al fonte, al prato - You can feel spring approaching and this song has a certain energy Cecilia embraces as she sings away troubles and sadness to allow in merriment. Lascia la spina - Melancholy. "Old age will creep up on you when your heart does not expect it." Agitata da due venti - Cecilia's voice takes flight in this song about waves raging in a stormy sea. She almost becomes the force of the ocean as her voice surges and dives and wow. Oiseaux, si tous les ans, K307 - She embodies a haunting vulnerability and the freshness of spring/summer. This song ends far too quickly. La pastorella, D528 - Calm beauty to reflect a shepherdess in a meadow. Innocent love. Havanaise - It seems like she has a completely different voice in this song as she reaches to new ranges in depth. Charmed by a song? Perhaps. Hai luli! - A seductive treatment of a song asking "where can my love be?" "What's the point of living without a lover?" Zaide - High energy and fast paced. A song about an orphan. Malinconia, ninfa gentile - Gorgeous and poetic song. Ma rendi pur contento - She really captures longing and an almost delicate purity. La conocchia - Light and breezy. Me voglio fa 'na casa - A song about the desire to build a house surrounded by the sea. Fantasy and happiness. Mi langero tacendo - Poignant moment. "I shall not complain of my bitter fate; but, my beloved, do not hope for me not to love you." Mi lagnero tacendo ll resentimento - the sorrow continues. The lover is said to be cruel. Mi lagnero tacendo Sorzico - more complaints of cruelty and sorrow. She seems to capture frustration so exquisitely and is that stomping I hear? ;) L'Orpheline du Tyrol - The Tyrolean orphan girl. Jean-Yves Thibaudet really takes the stage at first and Cecilia follows almost timidly. A song of tragedy, hunger and suffering. Riedi al soglio from Rossini's opera Zelmira left seasoned connoisseurs dazzled. After the aria's final cadence, they broke from their awe-struck silence to add to the shouts of "encore." Voi che sapete - Light and yet still dramatic. Desire, torment, ice. All explored fully by her voice. You can hear "torment" when she sings "martir" even if you could not see the words or follow along. Her voice really "flutters" when she sings "palpito e tremo." It is just amazing. Canzonetta spagnuola - A muse comes to torment a painter. Caro mio ben - A lover grows faint without love. Solitary melodies and you can almost feel the chill in the room or the feeling of despair the lover feels. Canto negro - Is there anything she can't sing? This piece might seem completely out of place, but by now everyone is completely drunk with emotion from this performance. Seguidille - Pleasure comes when two people are together. Definitely so when Cecilia Bartoli and Jean-Yves Thibaudet perform together. This song is almost a metaphor of the entire intoxicating experience. I just love how the audience goes absolutely wild after this song. And too soon, it is over. I look forward to one day viewing the performance on DVD. It will be so much easier to understand the words now that I've literally studied this performance. Knowing the words definitely adds to the subtle emotions and more expressive moments.

• Tu CH' Hai le Penne, Amore, For Voice & Continuo - Giulio Caccini
• Amarilli Mia Bella, For Voice & Continuo - Francesca Caccini
• Al Fonte, Al Prato, For Voice & Continuo - Giulio Caccini
• Trionfo del Tempo E del Disinganno: Lascia la Spina - George Frideric Handel
• Griselda: Agitata da Due Venti - Antonio Vivaldi
• Oiseaux, Si Tous Les Ans, Song for Voice & Piano, - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Pastorella, D528 - Franz Schubert
• Havanaise - Pauline Viardot
• Hai Luli! - Pauline Viardot
• Zaïde - Hector Berlioz
• Malinconia, Ninfa Gentile \oMeloncholy, Kindly Nymph\c - Vincenzo Bellini
• Ma Rendi Pur Contento \oIf You Can Bring Happiness\c - Vincenzo Bellini
• Conocchia - Gaetano Donizetti
• Me Voglio Fa' Na Casa - Gaetano Donizetti
• Mi Lagnerò Tacendo in D Major: D Major - Gioacchino Rossini
• Mi Lagnerò Tacendo in D Major/Minor "Il Risentimen - Gioacchino Rossini
• Mi Lagnerò Tacendo in G Major "Sorzico": G Major, "Sorzico" - Gioacchino Rossini
• Orpheline du Tyrol - Gioacchino Rossini
• Zelmira: Riedi Al Soglio - Gioacchino Rossini
• Nozze Di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), Opera: Voi Che Sapete - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Canzonetta Spagnuola "En Medio a Mis Colores" - Gioacchino Rossini
• Caro Mio Ben - Umberto Giordano
• Canto Negro: Unspecified 1 - Cecilia Bartoli
• Près des Remparts de Séville \oFrom Carmen\c - Georges Bizet