following is a most of a review from a friend who saw her in Calgary
- I've quoted most of it, mostly because it's well written and
humorous!
[begin quote]
Bartoli did her concert here at the Jack Singer Friday. It was
packed. A few people were caught faking being handicapped just
so they could see her. There were people hanging from the ceiling too.
The whole city was buzzing Bartoli. The headline in the paper went
something like "The Delightful Diva".
Big splashy event afterward in the "patron lounge". Tanti Italiani!
A group of the Calgary Opera people went over to her en masse and
started chatting. I was designated the translator. Ha! She was so
charming. She has the brownest eyes I've ever seen. Her mother
was also there.
Most memorable moment: "Come per me sereno" from Sonnambula. In the
cabaletta she went up to the high D, and came down on a chromatic
scale to the Bb two octaves below. Every note was in tune, and
there was space between each note like a violin might execute a
scale. In the reviews the usually idiotic reviewer called her
the Stradivarius of voices.
Her voice got a bit lost in the hall. She's singing more soprano
repertoire these days. She sang the "Alleluia" from the Exsultate
as an encore. The high C just amazed me. Sure, it was just a note...
but what a note and beautiful! You're absolutely right...she is
making a few weird faces these days. She got into a weird contortion
during some of the highest notes.
All in all a great musical experience again. Most of the rep was
new: She sang a new Rossini from Elmira and as I mentioned one of
the Bellini arias from Sonnam. During the encores she sang
"Voi che sapete", the "Alleluia" and a new piece I'd never heard
called "Zaide's Aria" which was in a bolero rhythm and had a French
text. I thought it might be Bizet, from one of the now forgotten
operas, maybe Djamileh. No one seemed to know afterward. Anyway,
she was so good at conveying the power of the rhythms;
particularly since she played the castanets and did some Carmen
flourishes. The audience went a bit wild after that one.
[end quote]
see, another satisfied fan in another city!
|
CB - Calgary 95/02/17 
Untitled
, 1997, Mar 20
TWO SUGGESTIONS
, 1997, Mar 21
Refer to Christa Ludwig
by etrange@qbc.clic.net, 1997, May 28
