| LA BARTOLI in LA: An Overflow of Charisma and Adulation | |
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Photos
(1-4, 6): courtesy Los Angeles Opera |
Cecilia Bartoli returned to LA and conquered hearts once again. It did not matter that she sang songs most all of which had not been heard enough to be among anyone's favorites today. The evening concert's program was drawn from her most recent album, Opera Proibita, or "Forbidden Works." The songs are actually arias from early 18th century oratorios that were privately commissioned by music lovers among the church hierarchy but could not be heard in Rome at the time because theatrical performances were officially forbidden by the Pope as inappropriate. Leave it to Cecilia Bartoli to discover beauty and passion (verily elements of operatic music) in what are technically pieces of sacred music, make them her own, and share them with the rest of us - with a passion that is uniquely Bartoli's. Which was exactly what she did at her concert performance at the Los Angeles Opera on a balmy Southern California evening in October 2005. The adoring audience loved every moment of it - from the first step she took toward center stage, in her flowing neon-green gown, to the final note of her third encore. Accompaniment was provided by the Baroque ensemble Orchestra La Scintilla of Zürich Opera, whose members - obviously enamored of her, played in perfect harmony with the star performer. They played without a conductor, and indeed it seemed they took their cues from Ms. Bartoli herself, whose gestures, facial expression and body language - so spontaneous and natural - clearly delighted the audience. Ms. Bartoli opened the program with Scarlatti's "Qui reta... L'alta Roma," an aria that defined the setting for the evening of song: her native city of Rome. Whether the song called for her fabled coloratura (as in most of the arias), or for a sense of playfulness (as in Handel's "Chiudi, Chuidi...") or for pathos (as in "Lascia, la spina," again by Handel) she was in great form the entire evening - so in control of her vocal powers it felt as if Scarlatti, Caldera and Handel composed the short arias for her voice. They call for technical agility and rapid delivery in some instances and an elegant legato in others; and always, for beauty of voice and breath control without compromise. She fulfilled all requirements with impeccable phrasing and an expressive musicality that displayed the wonderful colors of her light mezzo-soprano voice... and pleasantly seduced the audience who simply could not have enough of her. After one encore (an aria by Bononcini), she received a big bouquet of flowers which, plucking one flower after another, she gracefully shared with the front-row members of the orchestra, and then waved the audience good-bye. But they would have none of it. She generously responded to the standing ovations, the thunderous applause, and the manic bravos with two more arias by Handel and Scarlatti, delivered with the same meticulous artistry as the songs in the main program. Following the concert, Ms. Bartoli signed concert programs and CDs. Thrilled fans lined up all the way past the fountains of the Music Center and well past midnight to have a minute with the artist. Clearly, it was a magical evening when charisma and adulation literally overflowed! - © GC/FanFaire 2005 |
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BARTOLI in FanFaire
MARIA MALIBRAN -
A MUSICAL JOURNEY
LA BARTOLI IN LA
A BARTOLI CONCERT SEASON
A BARTOLI DISCOGRAPHY
WITH JEAN-YVES THIBAUDET
LIVE IN ITALY
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