Cecilia "La Splendida" in Vancouver!!!!

Forum: Cecilia Bartoli Forum
Date: 2005, Oct 04
From: Shirley <Shirley>

Saluti a tutti!
Cecilia appeared and sang in Vancouver!!!!
She was magnificent! Klaus and I were at the stage door waiting for her to finish rehearsal. Sergio Ciomei came out and we greeted him. He told us that he would tell Cecilia that we were outside and when she finished rehearsing, we would greet her. When she came out, the relief I felt was so great I almost cried. She was bundled up in a turtle neck sweater, another sweater over that and then, a jacket!!! She told us she signed CDs in New York too long and got a terrible cold. As she said: " You know..strangers who want to hug me and kiss me and cough on me!" She said she took a cruise ship from Dublin and will have to fly around in the USA and Canada. Oliver Widmer is with her for the tour. She will fly from Vancouver to Oakland. Oliver will drive from there to Santa Barbara where Cecilia can get some sun for a day or so. She said she did not cancel Toronto, only postponed. She did not want to disappoint all those who wanted to see her so she POSTPONED Toronto until October 17th. We reminded her that she sings in Chicago on the 16th!!! She said "I know!" and rolled her eyes. She felt that the worst part of her cold was better..
At the beginning of the concert, a spokesperson came out and made the announcement that Cecilia had a very bad cold. The audience groaned in expected disappointment. Then, the spokesperson went on with her announcement and said Cecilia was GOING TO SING! The audience roared with delight. The spokesperson said that Cecilia begged forgiveness if she didn't sound 100% but she would try. But, she told the audience that Cecilia would not be able to sign CDs afterward as was announced, but when she came back to Vancouver, people should bring ALL the CDs they had and she would sign every one of them! Cecilia walked out in her apple green gown.Her hair was loose and gorgeous. Diamond earings, diamond rings on both hands and her Rolex diamond watch.I couldn't see what shoes she was wearing because the gown covered them. She has lost weight and is totally spectacular looking. Her figure is stunning! Before she sang a note,the audience gave her a standing ovation and many yelled "Brava!" Cecilia was delighted with the reception. She grinned, thumped her heart with her fist and had to wait for the audience to stop applauding her! Her first selection was "Qui resta..l'alta Roma"!!!!!!! There are no words to describe the thrill, the beauty, the breathtaking coloratura and trills. When she went solo with the trumpets, I thought my heart would stop it was so unbelievably beautiful and perfect. I won't go into detail about the rest of the program. I'll let Klaus do that when he returns.I feel I cannot give a review the way the others in the Forum can... She was animated, she led the orchestra with her shoulders, her hands, and her body.You could see her tapping her feet' snapping her fingers and almost dancing to the beat of the orchestra. Her whole body becomes a musical instrument. She had fun with Ada Pesche and many of the members of the orchestra. Sergio Ciomei had a wonderful time on the cimbalo and the organ. He was actually lifting his body up and down on the piano bench and grinning while he was playing! However, after each aria, Cecilia would turn her back to the audience and blow her nose. She held a white handkerchief in her right hand all the time. On a number of occasions, we could see her wrinkle her nose to "sniff" with her cold. Also, a couple of times, we heard her clear her throat. BUT!!! She was magnificent! When she sang "Caldo Sangue" I was in tears at HER emotion. The "Lascia la spina" was so beautiful you could hear the audience sighing, overcome by the emotion SHE presented. The "Si piangete pupille dolenti" was so emotional it took her some time afterward to "come back." On the whole, the audience was a "Cecilia audience", and allowed her to "return" before they began the thunderous applauding. There are no words in any language to describe the " Vanne pentita." I think I didn't breathe the whole time. On the last da capo, she improvised 'vanne". It wasn't just a trill,it was pianissimo and legato and coloratura all at the same time. No human voice can do that! In the "Disserratevi" she did hit the high D!!!!It was electrifying! I felt like I had stuck my finger in a light socket! When it was over, the audience was on its feet, yelling, stamping their feet, making as much noise as possible yelling "Brava!" Cecilia was laughing! She was obviously delighted with the reaction of her audience. Those of us who KNOW every tone, every sound of her voice, could discern that she was not 100% Cecilia. She knew it too. We could see her face register a slight disappointment in herself after an aria and as though she were"uncomfortable" or not completely happy, she would tug at the waist on her gown, which is unusual. The second half of the concert, she warmed up and she sounded closer to the perfection that we are accustomed to. La Scintilla is a perfect group for Cecilia. They are so in-tune with her. They anticipate her pauses, her improvisations and her playfulness.So many times, Cecilia would look over at Ada and grin or she would turn and look at other members and would smile or grin at them and they would return the smile or grin. They all had fun together! At the end, flowers were brought out to her and she picked one out and handed it to Ada Pesche and then pretended to hand each member of the orchestra a flower. You know what a "team player" she is and how she never takes credit for a performance. She loves to share her glory. I have always felt that words are inadequate to describe Cecilia and her voice. Words are so empty and cannot convey the beauty of her pianissimi or to hear a note riding on her breath, or to hear that velvet, liquid amber mezza voce. I feel so inadequate to even try to tell someone of the miracle called "la nostra Cecilia."

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