Cecilia Bartoli, born 4 June 1966 in Rome, Italy, is one of the most celebrated mezzo-sopranos of our time. Renowned for her electrifying performances and unparalleled vocal agility, her voice combines rich warmth, technical precision, and an extraordinary expressive range.
Cecilia Bartoli © Kristian Schuller
Following her La Scala début as “Isolier” (Le Comte Ory) in 1991, she quickly acquired a reputation as one of the world’s leading Rossini singers, acclaimed both for her vocal accomplishments and her lively, quick-witted stage personality. In addition, she has fearlessly explored a lesser-known repertoire informed by a meticulous approach to historical performance practice and her magnetic stage presence.
A winner of countless awards and commendations, Bartoli has been admired in several Mozartian roles, with much of her reputation built on her recording career. To celebrate her birthday on 4 June, let’s feature some of her most iconic performances and recordings.
Cecilia Bartoli Sings Rossini’s La Cenerentola, “Non più mesta”
Mozart
Already an established star, Cecilia Bartoli turned to Mozart‘s music. This seemed a natural progression, as Mozart’s music demands not only technical precision but also emotional nuance and dramatic characterisation. Bartoli focused on Mozart’s mezzo roles, which often portray youthful, passionate, or conflicted characters.
However, she also excelled in Mozart’s concert arias, which allowed her to explore Mozart’s more introspective and virtuosic side. Bartoli’s Mozart is defined by her ability to embody each character’s emotional core. With her rich lower register and agile top, Bartoli is ideally suited to Mozart arias, which require both warmth and flexibility. She avoids excessive vibrato, allowing the melodies to shine with clarity while her diction brings out the poetic nuances of the text.
Cecilia Bartoli Sings Mozart: “Vado ma dove”
Vivaldi
Cecilia Bartoli’s The Vivaldi Album won a Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Performance in 2000, and it is often cited as a landmark in the revival of Vivaldi’s operatic works. It emerged at a pivotal moment in her career, when she was already established but sought to push boundaries.
Bartoli’s performances are marked by her ability to inhabit each character’s emotional world. Her vocal timbre, both warm yet agile, lends itself to Vivaldi’s contrasts, from fiery outbursts to introspective laments. Balancing scholarly rigour and accessibility, Bartoli’s expressive delivery makes the dense and florid texts feel immediate. This album is a perfect gateway to Baroque opera for new listeners.
Antonio Vivaldi: Giustino, RV 717 (excerpts) (Cecilia Bartoli, mezzo-soprano; Il Giardino Armonico; Giovanni Antonini, cond.)
Sacrificium
The “Sacrificium” album, released in 2009, features 15 tracks, primarily arias composed for the castrati of the 18th century. It won a Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Performance in 2010, and it was one of Bartoli’s most ambitious projects. This tribute to the castrati continued her mission to unearth forgotten works, focusing on the virtuosic and emotionally charged arias written for Farinelli, Caffarelli, and Senesino.
This album required extensive musicological research, as many of the arias were sourced from manuscripts in libraries across Europe. Bartoli’s goal was to illuminate the castrati’s artistry and the cultural phenomenon they represented, while showcasing the technical and expressive demands of their music. Bartoli tackled the extreme demands of these arias, including long phrases, rapid trills, and wide leaps, with apparent ease, and reviews praised her “superhuman virtuosity.”
Nicola Porpora: Germanico in germania: Parto, ti lascio, o cara (Cecilia Bartoli, mezzo-soprano; Il Giardino Armonico; Giovanni Antonini, cond.)
Handel
Cecilia Bartoli in Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto
Bartoli’s performances of Handel’s music are celebrated for their vocal brilliance, emotional depth, and scholarly insight, particularly in reviving lesser-known works. Her interpretations span Handel operas, oratorios, and concert arias, showcasing her agility in Baroque coloratura and her ability to convey dramatic intensity.
Bartoli has the ability to shift between fiery bravura and tender lyricism, combining vocal agility with theatrical charisma. Her Handel performances are widely acclaimed, as Bartoli is able to convey profound sorrow and scintillating vivacity. She combines emotional immediacy and technical brilliance, and her recordings and performances remain benchmarks of this repertoire.
Cecilia Bartoli’s extraordinary career stands as a testament to her unparalleled artistry and relentless dedication to redefining the operatic landscape. Through her electrifying performances and meticulous scholarship, she has breathed new life into a variety of works. As such, she had not only expanded the repertoire but also reshaped our understanding of Baroque and Classical music.
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