parterre box

45 comments

• la Malipasta says:

  H -ok H -aspirating h-is a H-evice H-and H-a H-alid H-one H-ot H-annoying H-at H-all……….

  SURE

  Its opera – not the Blues.

  You can say you like her and that it does nt bother you but you really are pushing it when you say its not a fault.

  It certianly ISNT an expressive device – expressing what exactly ? – the hissing of a cat? – or someone laughing?

  Bartoli does nt slur her runs but if she did you no doubt would say that is an expressive device too!!

  Aspirating of runs is cheating -and you waste breath. Its such a shame because it really spoils her singing (for me and many others) – and on records you dont see all the gurning etc etc.

  I liked her at the begining of her career, thought these faults would be ironed out and that the facial expressions grinning etc were the exurberance of youth – but alas no.

  Bartoli was taught her technique by her mother – apparently. A member of the Rome Opera chorus.

  Enough said.

  on July 26, 2007 at 5:23 AM
• la Malipasta says:

  A few spelling mistakes in there – just expressive devices!!!!!!

  on July 26, 2007 at 5:24 AM
• Anonymous says:

  Malipasta, you might note that there are AT LEAST two people posting here who are identified as “Anonymous.” When referring to “blue note[s]” and espressivo as devices, I don’t believe I said a thing about aspiration, and that was indeed my only previous post. Kindly do not conflate nor equivocate.

  Like everyone else, including harshly breathless critics, singers have to breathe. Regularly. Whether the evidence of their breathing is a “fault” or not must, I think, be considered in the instant.

  That is, audible aspiration may in some instances comprise an annoying flaw, and in other moments may merely embody evidence that singers are not vox machines. An audibly gasping Lucia or a wheezing Mimi would not attract such windy attention. Global generalizations about audible aspiration are inappropriate. In my opinion.

  What’s more to the point for those of us who can “overlook” the occasional quirks (including some audible aspirations) which so trouble Bartoli’s cheerily relentless critics is that Bartoli wields an impressive variety of vocally expressive techniques and equally expressive physical gestures to genuine and apt effect, and the compellingly communicative effect of such singing far outweighs any urge toward technical nitpicking.

  In general. In my opinion.

  on July 26, 2007 at 8:18 PM
• Agnello says:

  You guys are vile
  Cecilia is an amazing vocalist and performer. Jennifer Larmore is another mezzo soprano with a large vocal range, a richer voice than Bartoli, better technique and way more powerful voice… Is she superstar Cecilia is? Hell no…her voice is technically perfect, and that makes her boring. We like Cecilia BECAUSE of her quirks.

  on August 13, 2007 at 2:09 PM
• Agnello says:

  Oh by the way, the high notes in the recorded version of the Haydn aria were Eb and Db, but in LIVE performance she sang E and D NATURAL! She has also been shown vocalizing up to F above high C. That’s even higher than Joan Sutherland ever recorded.

  on August 14, 2007 at 2:46 PM