Mr. Baltimore, your comments combine only intellectual dishonesty

Ms. Bartoli's Met Debut or De Butt (ron baltimore)
Date: 1996, Nov 28
From: Claire Picard

You are holding up to ridicule the Cecilia Bartoli's Met debut and calling that with the role of Despina, Cecilia Bartoli "using the back door to make a major debut".

A debut implies a formal society into which one makes a possibility unsteady entrance and Cecilia Bartoli is already discovering the no-win situation of emerging opera stars. If she takes risks, going templingly beyong her voice, she will be called reckless; if she stays safety withim the genre, she is called limited by the HYPERCRITICAL opera world.

Cecilia Bartoli has personaly chosen this role and ANYONE could throw up on her choice. The recitative was the most important in her choice. She knows what she must do and when she must do. I prefer that Cecilia acts in this manner, rather than jumping stages, so that she can remain in my musical world as long as possible. This is a proof that she has a head on her shoulders and she is not stupid. This is the best way in term of career longevity.

Ms. Bartoli was the first to said that "it would be foolish to exagerate the importance of this Met debut". If all the publicity has surronded her it is because the opera world, and the Met most of all, is desesperate for stars who sell tickets, and right now Bartoli is the only mew name in sight who can. The proof, fourty thousand of opera lovers have attended this production. The Met have never had this success since more than 25 years.

It is true that the role of Despina is not a stunner but Despina has lots to say in this opera. The role gives Bartoli two lilting arias which she sang with ebullience. Most unespected refresting was her comedic acting ability. What was clearly transmitted was the vivid sens of comedy, the telling gesture and accentuation, the deft of movement. She skillfully threaded her way through several disguises, by turns becoming an eccentric eldesty doctor and a notary public. BARTOLI WAS THROUGLY IMMERSED IN HER ROLE, bouncing around the stage as she arranged the elements of the deception involved in the farce, PROVING HERSELF NOT ONLY A GREAT OPERA STAR, BUT A WONDERFUL ACTRESS AND ENSEMBLE PLAYER.

Los of peoples have singed Despina but Bartoli is a great artist, very musical and lot of fun on stage and I have never seen this role as well performed. To sens that it rrequiered NOT A DRAM OF TECHNICAL MUSIC APPRECIATION, ONLY THE ABILITY TO PERCIVE AN INNATE BEAUTY!!! She shares her palpable joy in singing, acting and a straight-to-the-heart directness.

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