Title : The Art of Cecilia Bartoli
Author : Handel, George Frideric
Release Date : 20021001
Binding : Audio CD
Regular Price : $17.98
Amazon.com Price : $13.95
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Buyer Reviews : 'The art of Cecilia Bartoli' provides the listener with a beautiful compilation of several of her recordings. The composers whose works Ms. Bartoli performs here are: Haendel, Vivaldi, Gluck, Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti and Verdi. She's accompanied by various orchestras and conductors and the male soloists parts are taken by David Daniels (Haendel), Bryn Terfel (Mozart/Rossini), Roberto de Candia (Rossini) and Luciano Pavarotti (Donizetti/Verdi). Cecilia Bartoli's joy in music and dedication to the composers is evident throughout. She's the luminous center of this disc which is beautifully packaged with texts, translations and photographs. Her warm, low voice brings out every nuance and colour of the composers works. She's intense, passionate and achingly beautiful in the pieces by Haendel, Gluck and Vivaldi (which demand much from the singer and listener).
She gives us further a warm, tender and curious Cherubino in 'Voi che sapete' from Mozarts 'Le Nozze di Figaro'. The duets with Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel were taken from Mozarts 'Don Giovanni' and 'Die Zauberflöte' are excellent, especially the 'Pa-pa-pa-pa' duet from 'Die Zauberflöte'. Cecilia Bartoli and Bryn Terfel are brilliantly matched as song partners and together they bring out every shade and nuance in these songs. It's a true delight to hear such gorgeous voices together on one disc.
Ms. Bartoli's Rossini is beautiful, warm and she brings out all of the pathos. But the last two pieces by Donizetti and Verdi were not my cup of tea, although Ms. Bartoli's contribution to those pieces is alert, intense and enthusiastic. Her partner here was Luciano Pavarotti and I am not an admirer of his voice. He's adequate and sounds if he's singing these pieces for the umpteenth time. Further I would have liked a bit more Haendel, Gluck or Mozart in this collection.
Despite some reservations towards Donizetti, Verdi and Luciano Pavarotti the listener gets a beautiful Cecilia collection, which I cannot but recommend very highly!
