Queen of Baroque
April 2021
A great supporter of the Baroque repertoire throughout her career, Cecilia is joined in this recording by the special guests Philippe Jaroussky, June Anderson, Franco Fagioli and Sol Gabetta, who share her great passion for the musical pearls that have come to light throughout the centuries.
The CD is Cecilia Bartoli’s first compilation album in a decade, and contains the best recordings of joys and musical discoveries of the 17th and 18th centuries, including George Frideric Handel’s“ Lascia ch’io pianga ”and his famous aria“ Ombra mai fu “As well as two tracks, composed by Leonardo Vinci and Agostino Steffani, which are veritable world premiere recordings.
Queen of Baroque is definitely a double tribute: to Bartoli herself, widely celebrated for her study and performance of baroque arias, but also to the composers who created the greatest compositions of their time. The CD covers moments of peaceful introspection in contrast with others of upstanding temperament: the entire immense variety of the human condition is encompassed by religious fervor, lulling love duos, war and drama with moments of despair, subtle humor, and genuine feelings.
The style hides no secrets for her. She masters all the technical and expressive resources of the Italian seventeenth and eighteenth century. Largely recognized for her immaculate diction, this is definitely one of her strongest points. And with the legato at times unlimited in almost infinite sentences, with and without coloratura, she proves that nothing is impossible.
Some listeners might find an excessive languor for their taste and or an overdose in the emphasis in an attempt to bring even more vivacity and sentiment into the music.
What we are certain about is that her passion for the baroque repertoire suits her audience, interested like her in musical curiosities, especially since she has chosen arias with grace and beauty that perfectly highlight all the qualities of her wonderful warm mezzo-soprano voice.
– Paul Thomas
