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In the beginning, Cecilia Bartoli seemed to do one thing better than anybody, i.e., Rossini arias, which would not guarantee a long career even for a singer of her ebullience. This live performance from the Teatro Olympico in Vincenza, Italy, shows how much she's expanded, both linguistically and musically. The first five selections reflect her newfound specialty, early opera. The three Caccini selections from the 17th century--accompanied by small string ensemble--are deeply felt and stylistically convincing enough to make one eager for future forays. She's guilty of spinning out Handel's "Lascia la spina" excessively but hits new heights of virtuosity in Vivaldi's "Agitata da due venti." The rest of the disc is for voice and piano, in a program including both some genuine discoveries by French composer Pauline Viardot-Garcia that reveal the singer's increasing emotional depths and less consequential ones by Donizetti and Rossini. Bartoli also sings Spanish songs, most notably Montsalvatge's "Canto negro," proving that the singer doesn't venture into a new language until she can truly feel in it. Remarkably, her voice maintains its strength and body in the deeper, mezzo-ish regions as well as in the high, soprano-range areas. Might she have two voices? David Patrick Stearns

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# Audio CD (October 20, 1998)
# SPARS Code: DDD
# Number of Discs: 1
# Format: Live
# Label: Decca
# ASIN: B00000DBTM

1. Tu ch'hai le penne, Amore
2. Amarilli
3. Al fonte, al prato
4. Lascia la spina
5. Agitata da due venti
6. Oiseaux, si tous les ans, K. 307
7. La Pastorella, D 528
8. Havanaise
9. Hai luli!
10. Zaide
11. Malinconia, ninfa gentile
12. Ma rendi pur contento
13. La conocchia
14. Me voglio fa 'na casa
15. Mi lagnero tacendo
16. Mi lagnero tacendo (Il Risentimento)
17. Mi lagnero tacendo (Sorzico)
18. L' Orpheline du Tyrol
19. Riedi al soglio (Zelmira)
20. Le nozze di Figaro: Voi che sapete
21. Canzonetta Spagnuola
22. Caro mio ben
23. Cinco Canciones negras, No. 5: Canto negro
24. Carmen: Seguedille (Carmen)

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4