How to buy - Ceilia Bartoli

My clear recommendation is this:


Rossini: Heroines

This came out in the early '90s when Bartoli was first starting to take the mezzo world by storm! (And to think I was an Agnes Baltsa fan!! - For my first 'major' opera I was privileged to see Carmen at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Acropolis, Athens in 1984 - with Baltsa and Carreras [pre-illness], etc - the cast of the then new DG recording of the opera. So I felt a real traitor when Bartoli came on the scene 7-8 years later...!!)

To describe this wonderful Bartoli disc, please let me quote a customer review from the Amazon website:

"If you want to hear Cecilia Bartoli at her best, you should hear her sing Rossini. This recording catches her in her prime, at the terrifyingly early age of 24! Bartoli sings her way through some of the most difficult music a singer can face, with what seems the utmost ease. The colluratura passages are sung cleanly, and are beautifully coloured. Cecilia also brings life to these heroines, this recording is Cecilia the singer and actress! It also brings to light Rossini's fantastic operas, the majority of which we do not see performed today. A definite must-have!"

The reason I bought this disc when it first came out was as much lust as the beauty of the voice! She was the subject of a 'South Bank Show' and I have a clear image still of her being gondoliered through Venice and the (pre-fire) La Fenice Opera House, to her recording of "Bel raggio lusinghier" from "Semiramide", the final track on this disc. Glorious.

James

And for good measure ... Vivaldi's "Sposa son disprezzata" from "Bajazet".

Thanks James I'll check it out.

Great clips too

ah, good thread!!!
there is not a Bartoli i dont like yet. i dont have "heroines" -- will get it str away, thanks james. however, i have and am always overwhelmed by her prowess at the vocal instrument in:

"Mozart Arias"
"Live in Italy"
"The Art of Cecilia Bartoli"

enjoy
ken

I have the feeling there won't be much i don't like either but its early days

quote:

Originally posted by Diccus62:
I have the feeling there won't be much i don't like either but its early days

diccus. i suppose you are getting "heroines"? so, am i -- would be intrested to compare "notes"

enjoy
ken

Will be getting it at some point. Will post when I do tho i'm no expert in this field.

Diccus,

Cecilia Bartoli has CDs for a wide range of excellent music within her mezzo-soprano field.

for instance her latest works:
http://forums.naim-audio.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3801938...472911117#3472911117.

Personally I prefer her Opera performances ,rather than the "solo arias" - but that's just me.

best regards

Urs

I don't diasagree with you there Urs, not least because I prefer to hear arias 'in context'. But the collections can be a good way in for the uninitiated.

BR
James

I highly recommend both the new "Maria Malibran" and the "Opera Prohibita" CDs.

Have ordered :-




and



For next to nothing at Caiman-usa

Thanks folks

Diccus

I have her album "Maria". Its fab!

David

Diccus,

Good selection ! you'll enjoy it immensly, I'm sure!

"The Art of Cecilia" is kind of my all-round favourite and "standard" (eg: I always have it with me, whenever I go to listen to new HIFI gear)

Most importantly, it has a good selection of her work, including also this rather "untypical"
Verdi piece : "Libiamo ne'lieti calici" ,Brindisi from La Traviata, with Luciano Pavarotti.

There is - of course - only one possible "improvement" to Cecilias CD's : See and listen to her in Concert or Opera !
(You'll need to book seats early - they usually sell fast !! at least here in Zürich..)


Regards

Urs

Urs

I think I have just missed her recent maria tour, but i'll keep an eye out - have you seen her?

Diccus

Diccus,

No - sadly , I was too late to get tickets

sometimes they schedule additional performances with Cecilia here in the Zürich opera for older performances of various works, so with some luck (or better planning from my side...!!) I may be able to see her "live" again.

Regards

Urs

I enjoy her rendition of Gluck's arias greatly. It was my first CB disc and still my favourite. Cheers Andy.