Customer Reviews

Opera Proibita

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Cecilia Bartoli continues to grow as an artist and as an intelligent contributor to the realm of musically important yet neglected works. The concept of this recital - exhuming works once censored by the Church as inappropriate - include works by Handel, Scarlatti, and Caldara, some of which have made their way onto the concert stage, and some that have fallen into the cracks of the plethora of music from this period.

Bartoli is here supported by the fine conducting of Marc Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louvre. The songs range from the florid bravura of Scarlatti's 'Serafini al nostro canto' to the simplicity and restraint of Caldara's 'Aria di Santa Eugenia. Vanne pentita a piangere'. It is of interest to know that these arias were for the most part written for castrati rather than for the female voice and Bartoli seems to appreciate that fact in her manner of performance.

This is not only an album of gorgeous singing, it is also an important recording of premieres of works that, were it not for Bartoli's insatiable curiosity and intelligence, would probably never have been available for our enjoyment. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, September 05

This is singing of astonishing technical fluency and emotional power. I was not surprised by the ease and punch of her runs, trills, ornamentation; that is how Bartoli first impressed us. But in this recital, it is the power of her intense fragility, to borrow from e.e.cummings, that most moves me. The interpretation of "Lascia la spina" is breathtaking and heartbreaking. Like the fabulous Jo Stafford, she uses her amazing breath control as a means of emotional communication.
Through her last few CDs - the Vivaldi album, the Gluck project and now this current CD - Bartoli has emerged as a mature, full-bodied, full-on interpretive artist. There is no one on the current scene to match her for virtuosity, fearless risktaking, or emotional profundity.

This album is the most original and exciting classical CD release of the year! I love what Cecilia has done with this undiscovered music, she has more energy and brilliance than all other opera stars combined. I am actually glad she has stopped doing all this "regular" opera material, I don't need to hear any more Rossini and Mozart. Actually, by the end of 2006 which is Mozart anniversary year, we will all be really sick of Mozart... Based on this Opera Proibita album, I would like to hear ten more hours of early Handel and Caldara.
I wish other artists would leave standard repertoire behind and started singing this great music. Of course, not many people can actually sing these pieces, written for the great castrati, and Cecilia is one of the very few who can sing them with such bravura. The fast, acrobatic arias are dazzling and the slow arias are so beautiful. Vanne Pentita A Piangere is a real gem, and if it wasn't for Cecilia we would never hear it! This aria also displays her messa di voce, and ravishing pianissimo, they are to die for. Castrati were not famous for their upper range, and not required to have high notes as we know them today but I like the way Cecilia spices up these arias with few stratospheric high notes,they are totally brillianr and would make many sopranos green with envy, but she uses them with great taste.
I think the cover of this album is very witty, a tribute to that famous scene in Fellini's film classic. Indeed, in each aria Cecilia gives a us a little encapsulated movie scene. She is so good at making the text come alive, using many colors of her voice to highlight the effect. Her diction is perfect, but in case your Italian is little rusty, all the texts and translations are included. When you read them, you will understand how much feeling Cecilia puts into these mini dramas. Just listen to the way she sings this one word, "Moro, moro..." in Caldo Sangue.
There will always be detractors who will talk nonsense about her "deficient" technique, I understand they are jealous of Cecilia's talent, the little people. For the rest of us, there's always the joy of hearing Cecilia tear into "All'arme Si Accesi Guerrieri", she is at war with bland, insipid music! Thank God we have our Cecilia to remind us that music can be exciting and exhilarating. I love all these stories how people who only listen to rock music heard Cecilia on the radio and went to buy this CD. You should buy ten copies of it and give them to your relatives, I don't think they will hear any yelps in her fioritura, I know many of my friends will be getting this album from Santa this year. Mille Grazie to Cecilia for bringing us this great music!

Santa Cecilia is the patron saint of music, and Cecilia Bartoli is on her way to become the patron saint of forgotten Baroque music. I tried to be impartial about this album, as there were few vocal Cecialinisms on display that rubbed me the wrong way, but the religious zeal displayed by cara Cecila in preaching the Apocryphal Gospel of the Holy Baroque is just too much to handel.
Who else on the current vocal scene, male or female, has the technique to sing Farinelli's Son Qual Nave in concert, and then face the challenge of other extreme arias written for the castrato superstars in the days when opera was so hot, it was banned by the Pope, and composers turned to opera's younger cousin, the oratorio?
Cecilia also chooses to eschew the balmy evenings in Rome, sitting under canopy and sipping wine, and instead she's spending time in dark and possibly very musty libraries, rummaging through manuscripts. Caldara and other obscurities- can't she just go over to some music store and pick up a copy of "Handel's Pleasing and Pretty Arias for Everybody"?
Yes, there are mannerisms and crazy technique, and when all this is coupled with Cecilia's hyperkinetic energy, the result is often an aural equivalent of mad, cackling hen coming at you at 200 mph. Having just seen her live, I also have a hard time listening to Che dolce simpatia without seeing Cecilia bouncing up and down, like some pastoral bird that had little too much honey. Ciofi or Genaux could do these arias, possibly with a lot more polish and subtlety. But then it's Cecilia that makes it all is so damn exciting.
Minkovsky and his period-instrument Louvre orchestra are providing admirable backdrop, and I loved the cascading waves of their sound in Un Pensiero Nemico Di Pace and Sparga Il Senso Lascivo Veleno, plus spectacular trumpet playing, but this is really one woman show, and in showstoppers like All'arme si accesi guerrieri or Sparga il senso, Cecilia is on fire.
And then there are these gentle breezes arias, and one of them, No 2, Mentre io godo, is among the most beautiful pieces of music I have heard this year. The famously recycled Lascia la spina and everybody's favourite Vanne Pentita are also perfect. Cecilia means what she sings, and her attention to text is a notch above many of her contemporaries; only madrigal singers usually get so engaged with the words, but in the HIP circles, and especially at these breakneck Baroque speeds, not many singers can hold the fort. Certainly she can ham it up in her interpretations, but on this album it works, especially in slow, plaintive arias, and her ornamentations are a little crazy but very exciting.
Even if you still have doubts about some of Cecilia's vocal and stylistic choices, this album is too good to pass, and for anyone even vaguely interested in exquisite performance of unusual Baroque repertoire, this is a great splash, La Dolce Vita style, in the fountain of Santa Cecilia.

I purchased this CD in anticipation of Bartoli's October performance at Zellerbach Hall (Berkeley). Both live and on disc, Bartoli has reached a level of vocal agility, clarity, and emotional understanding unmatched in classical music today. Now, before thinking this is just another review by a gushing fan, note that I have NOT historically been a Bartoli fan. This was the result of being exposed to her CDs way back in the early 90s, when she was still in her mid 20s and yet to develop a command of voice and style that she has today. At the time, I found her voice to be too mechanical, slightly shrill, and unmatched for the vocal range of the arias that she attempted. Unfortunately, this caused me to not follow for career for much of a decade. I instead held Renee Fleming in the highest esteem as the epitome of fine singing of the present day. Thus, Bartoli's Vivaldi, Gluck, and Salieri recordings were not heard by me.

A few months ago, I noticed that Bartoli was to give an "Opera Proibita" recital with Zurich Orchestra La Scintilla at Berkeley. I decided on a whim to fight for tickets (and quite a battle it was, considering the performance sold out in a matter of hours) since "for whatever reason" Bartoli was a hot ticket item. In preparation for thsi performance, I decided to familiarize myself with the style of music and singing that I would hear.

I purchased this CD, and was immediately floored by the juxtaposition of vocal pyrotechnics with soft lyrical phrasing that seems to float to the heavens. Bartoli's coloratura runs, which before seemed "hammering," have matured into a buoyant and completely effortless technique, without sacrificing any agility of pitch. Bartoli's ability in this regard is otherworldly. My favorites on this disc to listen to are "Lascia la spina" and "Un pensiero nemico di pace," because I'm a softie for the slow lyrical songs that most truly reflect Bartoli's "voice of 1000 colors." "Ecco negl'orti tuoi...Che dolce simpatica" is a cute and fun song.

For those of you who think I shun her more dynamic pieces, I've come to appreciate them just as much after attending the Zellerbach performance, in which Bartoli sang about 90% of the songs on this disc. Seeing her live...the way she connects to the orchestra and the audience...draws them in, wins them over, and makes a crowd of 2000 adults a consortium of raving screaming maniacal fanatics for her voice underscores the power of persuasion embodied in her singing and personality. This woman has a lung capacity that is beyond human! Audience members literally started laughing as she tackled particularly long coloratura runs...she kept going and going and going...without having to take a single breath. You'll hear these same songs on this CD, and I recommend you try to imagine her singing these in person to truly grasp the full effect of their brillance. By the way, she also sang "Lascia la spina," and I was nearly in tears. In all my years of attending musical performances, that's the first time something like that has ever happened. Says something about a voice that can reduce a grown man to a puddle of emotions.

So yeah, I'm sold on Bartoli. I'm now going to backtrack and explore the decade that I missed. For those of you considering this album, please...do NOT miss out on the phenomenon of Bartoli, better than ever.

The title of my review reflects my exact feelings when I was shopping for music today. Went into the Classical section of the store and heard 'Opera Proibita' playing over the sound system. Wow...what a voice! Boy, can Cecilia ever pound out some quick, almost mechanical vocals! This is no regular opera, that's for sure. I looked at my partner and said "come on, we gotta get this one". After 10 minutes, we walked out of the store with CD in hand. Each and every of Cecilia's albums brings a new meaning to Opera and Arias. Hers is a voice of unbeatable power and attitude. Although I love Operatic music, my knowledge of this style of music is still quite small. Among all the female Opera & Classical singers, Cecilia has always stunned me with her facial expressions and the way she propels her voice (when singing live on TV).

I love this recording as a whole, so I won't talk about the tracks. Instead, here's the tracklisting:

01. All'arme si accesi guerrieri (Aria dell Pace) - 2:38
02. Mentre io godo (Aria della Speranza) - 4:48
03. Un pensiero nemico di pace - 3:55
04. Vanne pentita a piangere - 8:46
05. Sparga il senso lascivo veleno - 2:58
06. Caldo Sangue - 5:26
07. Come nembo che fugge col vento - 5:10
08. Ecco negl'orti tuoi...Che dolce simpatica - 2:14
09. Qui resta...L'alta Roma - 4:12
10. Lascia la spina cogli la rosa - 5:53
11. Ahi qual cordoglio...Doppio affetto - 2:31
12. Si piangete pupille dolente - 7:35
13. Ahi quanto cieca...Come foco allo splendore - 3:04
14. Disserratevi oh porte d'Averno - 4:41
15. Notte funesta...Ferma l'ali - 7:30

The interior of the matte-finish book contains 62 pages with the last page being the sleeve for the disc. Inside are the lyrics and a tri-lingual (English, French and German) detailed bio of "Forbidden Opera", which is very interesting & informative. Included are photos from that time period when this style of Opera was forbidden by the Church & Theatre. Cecilia is gorgeous in her black gown with very bust-enhancing bodice. She's a beautiful woman, showcasing her extraordinary voice and style. I've come to appreciate her singing over the past few years. If you're a big fan of Cecilia, you must also purchase the 'Casta Diva' CD from renowned Romanian Opera singer, Angela Gheorghiu.

I am not a big Bartoli-Fan but I'm always intrigued by the oddities she digs up. And IMHO this is a clear winner among recitals. She sails through the difficult fioritura with flying flags while also giving drama & meaning to the text. One thing I do not like is the Bartoli-yelp in some of the fioritura. Her trill is also unsteady at times in slow pieces. But with arias as difficult as these it would be nipicky to harp on little flaws. Yes, Cecilia Bartoli has grown indeed and I hope that there'll be many more albums as good as this one.

These terrific arias from Roman oratorios are bravura pieces of the highest order and nothing more than thinly disguised opera showpieces, an art form banned by the Vatican and forbidden to be performed in Rome. I agree with almost everyone when I state that I think that, musically and scholastically, it is Cecilia's best effort (and that's saying quite a bit). The coloratura pieces are delivered with Cecilia's customary flair, panache and spot on intonation and breath control but the laments are equally impressive not only for the same reasons but for her ability to conjure a genuine sense of pathos, without resorting to melodrama or self-indulgence. This is a banner year for Mr. Minkowski; first with his fantastic "Une Symphonie Imaginaire" and now with "Opera Proibita" he's finally showing us that he can tackle works of emotional depth and intensity with the same commitment he does the more overt music. This is his best Handel conducting to date. One thing that I didn't care for and it has nothing to do with the performance and/or production, the latter of which is first rate, and that is the cover and the accompanying booklet photographs. I don't care for any of it. I love Fellini et al. and think "La Dolce Vita" a first rate film (though not his greatest achievement); however, aside from the fact that the these composers were pulling the wool over the Vatican official's eyes in almost open defiance and the fact the Fellini exposed mid 20th century Roman decadence (defiance / decadence = wicked) and the fact that Rome was the birthplace of both these arias and Fellini's film, there is absolutely no reason for the correlation. Paris was the birthplace of both Marais and Godard, should Jordi Savall dress a la Jean Paul Belmondo in cheeky imitations from "Breathless" in his next Pieces de Viole CD cover? It may seem a silly comparison, I know, but that's how I see it. Aside from the hideous cover art and design, everything is classy, first rate and a genuine musical treat; one that you won't regret buying.

Listened to some of this today on WGBH-Boston, with host Lisa Mullins: "a recording that features 18th century vocal music by Handel and Scarlatti, music once considered so scandalous that it was banned in Rome." I can see why, on hearing it I dropped everything, listened and was pulled into a mood of divine bliss. That could be dangerous to the Catholic church, known to suppress all such states. I then came here to Amazon and immediately purchased. I may be tempted to worship differently now.

I owned over a dozen of Bartoli solo albums, plus other operatic albums of hers. From the early days of 'Arias Antique' I got impressed by her beautiful singing and her outstanding technique.
Alas, starting from her Vivaldi Album, I do not find her singing that beautiful any more. True, the songs picked there are technically very challenging, used to be sung by male castrato singers. The songs picked here are even more difficult.
BUT - is singing just about technique?
There are some songs in the Vivaldi Album that have the vocal musical lines broken in places. Here in Opera Proibita, almost every song has this problem, even the slow ones of Caldara. Compare her singing in the earlier part of her career, her early Mozart operas, I could not help but wonder if Ms. Bartoli has taken the correct turn in her career: her forced high notes, though squarely hit, do not sound at all pleasing; her runs and trills, though taken accurately at great tempi, is no longer truly musical. Compare her singing with the other two great baroque mezzo-sopranos Bernarda Fink and the tragically short-lived late Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, you would understand what I mean.

With the latest turn in Ms. Bartoli's singing, I am being forced to admit that this is a singer of great technical brilliance and enormous fame, but not at all pleasing to the ear.