Cecilia Bartoli - Ombra Mai Fu (FULL)

[MakinLifeFun]

Delicious!

[dolofonos]

Marbleous!

[ALEXISVASSILIEV]

Une voix chaude....  Merci mon Dieu

[TenorVEVO]

Cecillia bartoli MEzzo saprano ?



[tenorschofield]

Brava!!!, e una voce piu bella e molto sensibile!!!. Grande musicalita della Bartoli...she is one of the best of the best for me...BRAVAAA!!!!

[primohomme]

@magique7771

Yes darling, but there's a difference between singing and singing well

Jackie is not a great singer, she might be a child prodigy but by adult standards she is average at best.

[7tazassietetazas]

ok jc

[asfiut]

cecilia sei meravigliosa. la tua voce penetra nel cuore. sal

[MrRocketBrain]

The picture makes her look too much like Michael Jackson.

[achantus1]

I would like to recommend Kirsten Flagstads version. But it is, of course, ultimately a question of individual taste.

[johnhunt65]

This is one of my favourite arias and I have several recordings of it sung by male and female singers. Whilst all of them are different and individually beautiful, Bartoli is exceptional. Her virtuosity and sensitivity are incomparable and I love the velvet tones she produces in this aria.

[harald144]

Is this Haydn or Vivaldi? Monteverdi?

[primohomme]

@harald144

Handel. It's a really famous aria actually

[camposi]

@harald144

Yes ........Handel!!!! Forever!

[slofox13]

@harald144 It's Handel

[oraclesofpandora]

love her expressionism!

[ayoyotle]

Her voice is dark and dull, I do not like it

[circa1907czec]

She is one of the few musicians who do not use technique for technique sake like Glenn Gould.

I never heard any one sang it so delicately and powerfully with great concentration.

[ilex50]

Excepcional.

[GrantKingMusic]

Very nicely done. I love the delicate head notes

[mtlhoma]

this is music not some ego requesting your definite attention.

[TheMilagros59]

bellisima musica, voz excepcional...

[maxtelekom]

Wundereschön !

[lolotteamelot]

Elle embellie nos vies, quelle grande dame, c'est la perfection dans la musique, cette voix me bouleverse et me rend si heureuse !! Bravo MADAME

[avivo328]

la belleza echa musica

[TheNattella]

It's perfect!!!!!!!!

[zartha93]

Ombra mai fu..

[neknaj333]

I want her to sing in my funeral....... Then I'll know I'll be among angels.......

[LifeforArt]

This version is a dedication to all the involuntary castratos by C.B. - It is a masterpiece, pure art of singing!

[juan080564]

"E vviva il coltellino!"

[klickenpod]

I don't know what people's gripe is with the picture. THere's a reason behind it, and I think it's witty and brilliant, just like her.

[1952a]

Questo no e una voce. E un miracolo...

[jgdmol4l]

beautiful rendition...nice FULL sound and I have to say I love the image, precisely because of how disturbing it is...I mean it is known that the Castrato phenomenon occurred partly, if not solely because women were not allowed to perform on stage. Anything and everything deemed 'feminine' has always been looked down upon in our society, so brava Cecilia for your efforts to assuage that problem. It's just sad that it took this long for a project like this (with such high quality) to surface.

[FatalPastries]

Just to be a perfect nitpicker, I'll just point out that this aria is actually supposed to be played larghetto, not largo.

[LillyKimura89]

@FatalPastries you're right. sheet music doesn't lie lol

[andypandywright]

phenomenal version but i have to scroll to the comments to avoid the horrendous image!

[StExAholic]

I simply love her voice :)

[john2000young]

Is that statue mike Jackson?

[vale821]

Quality of the record is superb - sound is alive!

I would like to know, if poster used some special software to make regular mp3(~210 kbps) sound like a lossless format !?

[aussiechickdiana]

"Fantastique"...beautiful singing, and sung with such delicate 'feeling'...

[Desigovia]

As I understand it, the cd is made up of pieces that were composed for castrati singers. Perhaps an analogy can be drawn from the cover that a woman is singing male castrati pieces and could explain why Bartolis head has been added to a "damaged" male statue (symbolism for castration).

[MrPancho101]

fucking looks like michael jackson

[davehshs]

What was the point of affixing Bartoli's head onto the cracked statue of a man?

[primohomme]

@davehshs

It's meant to represent what we would now consider the voice of a woman in the body of a man, a broken mutilated man at that, but still that broken mutilated man was a Greek god or a Roman general or a warrior or a hero.

[davehshs]

@primohomme I could more easily see why you would choose this image if we were listening to a countertenor or a castrato. But since there is no masculine element in either Bartoli's voice, her persona, or her appearance, the image seems all wrong here.

[UncleTito72]

@davehshs Tell the record label. This is the picture they chose for the CD.



[davehshs]

@UncleTito72 Poor judgment on both your parts. (I assume the record label didn't make you upload the cover with the music.)

[UncleTito72]

@davehshs Poor judgment on my part? How exactly am I involved in the choosing of the picture for the album? I don't work for the record label. Nor do I own copy of the album, digital or otherwise.

[davehshs]

@UncleTito72 Sorry. I didn't pay attention to your name line and assumed you were primohomme, who uploaded the music and picture. The poor judgment is HIS, as well as the record label's.

[primohomme]

@davehshs

Gurl take a motherfucking seat, this is Cecilia's album and she'll sing however the fuck she wants to sing and she'll put whatever pic she wants to put on the cover, either from her as a male or her hairy pussy, whatever #BYE

[woofer0doofer]

@primohomme Epic response. 

[dradraist]

@primohomme you're sick

[JOSEPHLIANG]

@davehshs ambsexual like the voice

[JOSEPHLIANG]

@davehshs ambisexual like the voice, i guess

[konalove42]

@davehshs lmao

[revbores]

@davehshs On ' Sacrificium ' listen to Cecilia's explanation of the use of picture. It is her doing portraying the sacrifice of young males to preserve a high pitched voice....the castraltos.

[WJE37FCSM]

@davehshs I'm having second thoughts about the common understanding that a castrate emulates a female voice in 'mutilated man' especially after listening to the 10 year old Jackie Evancho perform the same piece in Huston. The surgical procedure was done to a male child to preserve his vocal range past puberty, but while his voice remained high did the vocal color keep as a child's or become clearly female like Bartoli's? In between? Sensational is the word that comes though history.

[primohomme]

@WJE37FCSM

I think if we go by the descriptions of the voices of the greatest castrati, and also by the recordings of Moreschi as well as the few known endochrinological modern natural (male) sopranos, we can get the idea that indeed the voice was nothing like that of a female except for tessitura. It seems the castrato voice was in color more like that a of a child but with much more power and range, or perhaps like a high light tenor singing effortlessly in soprano.

[WJE37FCSM]

@primohomme That was my take on it too, but I didn't give it much thought until I heard the Jackie Evancho Performance in Huston. Her vocal color may be unique among singers at this stage in her life.

[Dalmata1961]

@primohomme I'seen the movie about Farinelli many times. What I've understood from the literature I've read on this toppic that was supposed to be as close as someone could get to the castrato sound. A combination of male soprano and counter tenor mixed electronically. Quite fascinating, though. Moreschi sounds to me like a tomcat in February. He was obviously one of those unfortunates who lost their nuts but did not make the career everybody expected.

[primohomme]

@Dalmata1961

It could be argued that putting a female timbre as a castrato instrument would be like putting a flute as representative of a trumpet sound. According to the great amount of reading I've done I've come to the conclusion the castrato sound was more like that of a boy but with much greater power, or perhaps like that of a very high tenor.

[Dalmata1961]

@primohomme Well counter tenor or very high tenor sounds to me rather close. ;-)

We will however never know who is right or wrong, although it is not the matter of right or wrong.

probably the voices and timbres varied by castrati like they vary among singers nowadays.

Who will tell... If I would be 10 and have this mind I would maybe let myself be castrated just out of curiosity...

Would not loose much as it seems that castrati had rather good sexual life...only the procreation...well... ;-)

[fan2jnrc]

I'm sorry, but yes, it's too slow. And without true emotion, and lack of nuances.

For me Bartoli is a goddess, she's probably the greatest singer living. Ok, that's not the point.

But here, her "Ombra mai fu" is not very good. For example, Andreas Scholl's version is much better... Just listen to it and compare... THIS is the perfection.

[nonato39]

viva handel

[ronwgood]

Jackie Evancho will be singing this.

[schnittersd]

I already have "sospiri"  I love cecilia.

[rometube]

Non me l'aspettavo, c'avevo in testa certe versioni contratenorili ma veramente questa mi lascia stupito e felice: 10 e lode!!!

[oliviasmulyan]

gorgeous cecilia! gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxo i LOVEEEEEE YOUUUUUUUUU! <3

[Titirttinen]

 taivaallisen kaunista

[46willem]

Listen also the version of lorainne hunt-lieberman, even more expresfull

[xXxFF4everxXx]

they say she's a mezzo soprano, but her timbre is so dark and deep... it sure sounds like contralto... i'm no expert myself though anyways he he

[foxtonboi]

contralto is really low, this is mezzo.

[xXxFF4everxXx]

@foxtonboi that's relative. Simone Simons is mezzo and higher than that. Emilie Autumn is contralto, and higher than that. I'm not denying that she is mezzo, but she could just as easy be contralto

[primohomme]

@xXxFF4everxXx

Unlikely, Cecilia doesn't really have the very lowest notes

[xXxFF4everxXx]

@primohomme i know i know, but what about her timbre? her timbre is sure deep enough to sound just like a contralto, right?

[oliviasmulyan]

@primohomme yea she does. 

[sam0xin]

CECILIA COME TO Los Angeles PLEASE !!!!!!!

[sergenovique]

Cecilia cara, fantastic! looking forward to hear you soon in Ory. though you don´t look like a man in this clip! too much of women in it, of a beautiful woman!!! Oliver, you did your best ;-)

[Taenyr]

My mistake, it appears to exist only on the deluxe edition...

[primohomme]

@Taenyr

Besides the deluxe version of "sacrificium", it was included in her recent compilation album "Sospiri" (whispers).

[Taenyr]

@primohomme Thanks! =)

[Taenyr]

Ombra mai fu is not from "Sacrificium"...does anyone know which album contains this performance?

[1AdrianR]

I bought the deluxe album and must say it is worth any price

[RightM0nster]

that picture makes me want to throw up. oh shit, I just threw up.

[MrMagyar7]

Don´t you understand?, Umbra mai fu, never was a shadow like this to protect me

bueno, en español, nunca hubo una sombra así que me protejiera...y quieren que se cante como si fuera el corrido de Pancho Villa?

[fabrizietto1980]

@MrMagyar7 lol Lo de Pancho Villa me hace mucha gracia! me la imagino cantando asì :)

[fannylopez]

too slow. Awful cover, so tacky.

[primohomme]

@fannylopez

Too slow? It's called "Largo" for a reason, Largo is slower than Adagio, DUH!

[fioreseludo]

@primohomme I agree with fannylopez. It's called Largo but in reality should be more of a Larghetto. The version howver is not that terrible; she sings with passion, we feel the "dolce" facet of her voice and it is really soothing.

[bageense]

@primohomme

In fact, Baroque writers state that Largo is a faster tempo than Adagio. And this piece is marked Larguetto, which is even faster than a regular Largo... ;-)

I agree that Cecilia Bartoli takes it a little on the slow side, but even so it's a marvelous recording.

[jean1938]

@primohomme

You are wrong:

often with the full title "Largo from Xerxes", although the original tempo was larghetto.

It's too slow indeed !

;)

[pancakefairy87]

@primohomme although originally it's 'larghetto'. duh.

[aristopus]

@primohomme Why be insolent with the "DUH?" Not many people would know that, i.e.. largo is slower than adagio. The music is so solumn. The "DUH" brings it down.

[moltoallegro19]

@aristopus People who listen to this and know enough to allow themselves to be critics regarding the tempo most certainly knows what "largo" means.

[BrianDonaldMcKay]

@primohomme Apparently the aria was originally marked larghetto. My version has adagio 72. Bartoli is singing at 64 by my estimate. Slow but beautiful. Artistic licence? Compare with Stutzmann, another great mezzo-contralto who, as I recall, sings the aria slowly but very expressively.

[primohomme]

@BrianDonaldMcKay

I'm pretty sure by that time there were no metronomes ;)

[OpheliaRising]

@primohomme

From Wikipedia:

"The opening aria, "Ombra mai fù", sung by Xerxes to a tree (Platanus orientalis), is set to one of Handel's best-known melodies, and is often played in an orchestral arrangement, known as Handel's "largo" (despite being marked "larghetto" in the score)."

Therefore, Handel himself marked it to be played Larghetto which means 'a little of slow'. Not a slow as full largo.

[redsticketchick]

@fannylopez she based the entire album off of songs composed for castratos (men who had been castrated before their voices were able to change), hence, why she chose to put an extremely masculine figure on the cover while her beautiful soprano voice sang through.

[oliviasmulyan]

@fannylopez yea and dont call cecilia tacky!

[cousinjk]

Cecilia out-countertenors the countertenors. She is the best singer of early music performing today.

[pgzzz]

That disclaimer is the best ever! - circulate it around the world my friend !

[sam0xin]

I purchased the "Sacrificium" album this aria is not in it...!!! But I'm not complaining I've got treasurer...for some $16.00...SHE MADE these arias So CONTEMPORARY ! I don't feel that those masterpieces has a 300 plus year history...UNPARALLELED ALBUM ! It is just GIFT to us ...Such a BLESSED WOMAN !

[primohomme]

@sam0xin

This is only in the deluxe edition of the album, but I'm sure you can probably find it on Itunes :)

[sam0xin]

@primohomme Thanks !

[tissetatten]

@sam0xin well then just download it!

[hanilatif]

@sam0xin: I totally agree with you, but wait till you listen to her latest, "Sospiri". You simply need a quiet place, a dark lounge for instance (pull down the drapes), a comfortable arm chair and perhaps a glass of good Rioja wine. That will be almost like touching the sky with your fingertips. Enjoy.

[sam0xin]

@hanilatif Thanks for suggestion ! I will ....:)))))

[LePetitChatNoir79]

 There sure are a lot of whiny people who act like their opinions matter. Thanks for posting...love Cecilia.

[cantorga]

Male, female, castrati, counter-tenors...the point is she just sounds bored with the whole proceedings---I don't think she likes Handel. Not nice.

[SondraHarnes]

Gorgeous singing! Hideous picture! Could you please put something else up? It is a huge distraction from Cecilia's glorious singing.

Regarding the castrato voice, thank God we haven't had any for almost a century. A castrato is a man with a singing voice equivalent to that of a soprano, mezzo-soprano, or contralto voice produced either by castration of the singer before puberty or one who, because of an endocrinological condition, never reaches sexual maturity.

[primohomme]

@SondraHarnes

It is Cecilia's artistic expression and artistic concept, she chose that image for her album, a bold and powerful image of the male wounded body with a "female" voice.

The truth is castrati sounded nothing like women, their sound was closer to that of a child with a much more powerful resonant voice, not that of a mature woman. Some say it was more like that of a tenor with a natural soprano extension.

[SondraHarnes]

@primohomme Oh, my, well her artistic freedom...I will just close my eyes the next time I listen.

I'm sure the castrati did not sound like women. I'm a former opera singer. There is one recording, but the man was way past his prime, early days of recording, not good sound. Castrating the boys was a terrible, terrible thing.

The guys who develop their falsetto have their own sound...not one that I like.

[blahdorkweirdo]

@SondraHarnes Well, those who fall into the secondary category technically aren't castrati- I mean, the castration is in the name. But they're the closest we have to the real thing today. Men who never reach full sexual maturity are rare, but they do exist.

[PhoenixPlaneswalker]

@SondraHarnes Cecilia chose this picture herself, because it showed the almost female voice of the Castrato, with an unchanging male body. I think it's beautiful if you keep this thought in mind.

[sarojinius]

skip8619, I totally agree; a female voice for this piece just isn't as good; but on the other hand I do like this singer's voice a lot. Other videos on here seem to be poor quality recordings or else of male voices, but not sung by a countertenor.

[MegaRadoslav]

dkip8619 I agree with you as for on which way woman perfoming this aria. I sepose that woman singers try hard to sing this aria on a man`s way, but it is inposiblle because reasons what knows all of us.

[sam0xin]

UNMATCHED & UNPARALLELED as usual .... I LOVE, that ratings disabled ! some miracles are CAN NOT to be rated...how it's possible to rate sunlight or air or water...? Thanks for sharing.

[skip8619]

I don't mean to be sexist or anything, but I just think this piece was written for a man's timbre, even if a castrato's one. I've listened to tons of men and women performing this aria and the women always just don't sound right for some reason. I don't know mabey its just me.

[primohomme]

@skip8619

Well, the timbre of a castrato was more like that of a child, or like a high tenor singing in soprano in modal voice.

[ViolentBeauty88]

@primohomme In our class about different voice types, i got to hear a recording of the worlds last castrato from 1902 if i remember correctly and after that we heard contratenor singing. Contratenor definately sounds like a man when the voice got a bit lower but castrato sounded like a woman or a child all the way.

[alvarito45]

@skip8619 Yes, it was written for a castrato, but Cecilia sings it great. Brava

[bag12]

@skip8619 I agree, there is a certain tone this piece requires and women simply cannot achieve it, women are truly inferior

[janquen]

@skip8619 I think this is a good performance but I agree about the male voice. I heard Michael Maniaci sing this on TV a couple of years back and I have never heard better. Does anyone know if he has released a recording of this?

[xoxpenguinxox]

@WhiteHuskie66 couldn't agree anymore.

as a young mezzo myself, i'm sure many more would agree that the ultimate aim is to be as talented as she is.

[Spoxjox]

Ombra mai fù

di vegetabile,

cara ed amabile,

soave più.

Translation:

Never was the shade

Of a plant,

Dear and agreeable,

More sweet.

[Yesmydog]

Does she ever have to breathe???? Wow.

[operfrankfurtde]

Eigentlich bin ich wegen des sonst so enormen Vibratos in ihrer Stimme kein großer Fan von Bartoli, aber das ist wirklich sehr schön!

[dyad2r1]

Translation:

"Branches tender and beautiful

of my sycamore beloved

for you shines the destiny;

thunder, lightning and tempests

do not let them outrage ever the dear peace

nor let arrive to profane you, the west winds rapacious! Shade never there was of a plant,

dear and agreeable, more sweet."

[horseyak]

I can't imagine this aria being sung any better than this. And I've probably listened to 25 versions.

[ObliquePerfection92]

@horseyak You should listen to Andreas Scholl's rendition; his voice is so pure and clear, you'll never want to hear another aria sung by another voice other than his. ^ ^

[mezzosinger100]

her timbre is incredible!

[GundulaBraum]

Wonderful! I see the heaven if I hear this version. Cecilia Bartoli sings as an angel. She is my great idol.

[GundulaBraum]

Wonderful! I see the heaven if I hear this version. Cecilia Bartoli sings as an angel. She is my great idol.

[troppofiato]

Bartoli is an artist for the digital age. I was completely taken with her through audio recordings and videos. Then I saw her in person and was very disappointed because the voice is very, very small - it didn't make nearly the same impression as it did on recordings. So I enjoy her digitally like millions do.

[Carliux001]

senza parole!!

[nostopsnopurgatory]

That is the creepiest picture...

[gibberth]

Ombra mai fu

di vegetabile

cara ed amabile,

soave più.

[DCFunBud]

Hideous photograph. She looks like a burn victim.

[MATTDUNCAN1]

what inane comments i read here...she is popular because her voice is wonderful and her virtuosity is undoubted...if she fails to move you..that is something you will have to live with..i for one feel blessed to hear her voice

[primohomme]

@ChatlaninUef

If you don't like her why come listen to her? She is a pop star because is as popular as a big time pop star. Don't hate her just because you'll never be as successful as her :)

[ChatlaninUef]

1. Just to start, i like her... Sure, there are some things i dislike, but in general.. Great singer. You obviously misunderstood something.

2. She is not a pop star, while she absolutely doesn't sing popular music. She is an opera star..

3. Is she a good musician or not, depends not on how popular she is and how good her albums are being sold. Sure, i can't give you any objective criteria, but i hope you are clever enough to see it.

[Soxslayer]

Schööön^^

[tomislavbright]

well, maybe the cover is not the best from the point of view of design, but the meaning is very clear (female voice in a man's body - castrates)

[TheVottur]

Underbart! Rösten och känslan. Wounderful and sensitive voice.

[TheVottur]

Underbart! Rösten och känslan. Wounderful and sensitive voice.

[TheVottur]

Underbart! Rösten och känslan.

[thomastmwc]

Bartoli is music she loves music she is able to do music

[selfidentity1]

I dont know.... I dont think I like this, I am always waiting for her to set the music free, its like she's singing inside a box.

[goodboybuddy1]

Wonderfully calm. Not Overwrought. Loved it!! Thank you for posting.

[ddurbinfan]

How can one not admire this opera gem? The first time I heard this I almost stopped breathing and listened 10 times in a row.

[primohomme]

LOL, and then you woke up and she sells millions and fills up theaters and is a superstar, and nobody knows who the hell you are ;)

[walchiria08]

peccato che aparte le registrazioni la sua voce è inesistente... per sentirla ci vuole amplifon

[lalia2001]

Another fave next to Lorraine Hunt Leiberson and Elina Garanca...

[freakinpurplesoxz2]

My chorus is singing this(:

[bodiloto]

brava,bellissima interpretazione .grazie .

[bochritas]

I went and bought 2 CD's of "Sacrificium" . Viva  Cecilia Bertoli !!!!

[ceciliafan1]

i just got it and its such an awesome album!

[g4thz]

Can we talk about how bad this album cover is?

[primohomme]

It is an artistic concept, it is made to make a statement. You want nice covers first of all? Go buy a Britney Spears album or something.

[ChatlaninUef]

This cover IS made in a pop-style (like ''Maria''). Very glamorous ( = bad)

[primohomme]

Cecilia is a pop star. When she releases album they immediately go on the top 10 if not top 5 European charts along with Madonna, Beyonce and Kylie MInogue!

[ChatlaninUef]

Cecilia is not a pop singer. And not even a crossover singer, fortunately.

But whatever, i personally do not like some of her covers, its IMHO, and its not so important, if she still sings good >)

[ChatlaninUef]

@primohomme Luckily, Cecilia is NOT a pop star, while she doesn't sing popular music. She is an opera singer, a musician in general - and this is the good thing about her and the most important point.

[MarieJosette]

@ChatlaninUef I wonder what you think is so wrong about her having artificial covers. it is just an allusion to the contents and the intention of this album: Give attention to the cruel destiny of so many castratos in the 17/18th century. it is a big dilemma: on the one hand they were humilated and abused but on the other hand they were able to provide arts in dimensions like we have never seen them before.

[ChatlaninUef]

Well, we have never heard it and i think we will never hear it.

As i already wrote in another comment, its IMHO, that i dont like her covers.

[ceciliafan1]

the inside is amazing though. that pic where she looks like a warrior is fierce and she looks serious. that is such a good picture

[ElisabettaVS]

I am so glad I bought this CD. This is one of my favourites, in addition I like the very first piece and Nobil Onda. The 3rd is very very good as well. (I am sorry, I cannot recall the song titles right now)