Friday, December 24, 2010

Viva Cecilia Bartoli!

(Photo: Decca)
Stuart Jeffries interviews the mezzo-soprano about such topics as her latest album Sospiri, castrati, scholarly research, voice longevity and her home in Zurich.

"So why not, while you wait, crossover to pop like so many of your peers have done? Then at least you might find someone who can write for your voice? 'I'm not against this,' she says, 'but for me the real crossover that makes sense now is to make people cross the bridge to come and listen music they maybe have never heard before, music that I love, because this is what I can do best.'"
(Photo: Decca)


"Ten years ago Bartoli told an interviewer that a mezzo's best years are between the ages of 30 and 45. She is now 44. Is she steeling herself for inevitable career decline? Bartoli laughs at me again. 'I did say that, but I am not going to retire soon.' When will your career end? 'It depends on how well you have used your instrument during your career. Take a singer like Pavarotti – Luciano was just choosy. He died with a still incredible voice. He was 71 and his instrument was almost perfect. He was choosing carefully what to do, not to spend the capital but only the interest.'"