Vocalist.org archive


From:  Karen Mercedes <dalila@R...>
Karen Mercedes <dalila@R...>
Date:  Fri Jun 1, 2001  2:19 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] Bartoli this, Bartoli that....


I prefer not to make a definitive opinion of a singer ever, because
singers have a strange way of changing - improving, deteriorating,
discovering what they should be doing and should not have been doing (and
vice versa) and doing it.

I've seen Bartoli "close up" in recital, and what struck me about her (as
it did about Kathleen Battle when I saw her in similar circumstances) was
the following question: "How can such a beautiful sound be produced *in
spite of* such weird facial and body contortions.

As a soubrette, Bartoli is definitely a charmer, albeit she comes from an
old school of operatic acting, in which extreme facial expressions seem
to be the primary technique for conveying emotions; this works just fine
for comedy, which seems to be Bartoli's specialty on the opera stage - no
doubt because she has enough self-awareness (or directors do) to know her
acting style would not translate well for serious/tragic repertoire.

Her singing has never offended me, and sometimes has created some truly
beautiful singing and truly affecting interpretations. I find her
coloratura less-than-fluid for my tastes, but it's certainly more fluid
than Ewa Podles' and I still admire Podles greatly. I only mention this
because Bartoli's repertoire includes so much coloratura, so it's a
significant part of what she does.

If I had to sum up my feelings in one sentence, it would be: If only I
didn't have to look at her, I could REALLY enjoy her. Which is so
strange, given she is a very pretty woman...when she's not singing.

KM
............................
NEIL SHICOFF, TENORE SUPREMO
http://www.radix.net/~dalila/shicoff/shicoff.html

My Own Website
http://www.radix.net/~dalila/index.html

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ I sing hymns with my spirit, +
+ but I also sing hymns with my mind. +
+ - 1 Corinthians 14:15 +
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


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