Poking Fun At Cecilia

The great Italian mezzo Cecilia Bartoli is today's foremost exponent of the florid music from the baroque repertoire. She possesses a very flexible voice with a phenomenal technique and an exceptional upper extension that allow her to assay some soprano roles. Anyone who has seen her can't help but be struck by the generosity of spirit in her music making - she oozes the joy of singing.  Given her distinctive style, Bartoli and her rather idiosyncratic mannerisms have generated lots of discussions and parodies in the music world. Here is an example of the Italian diva singing "Agitata da due venti" the castrati showstopper from Vivaldi's Griselda, taken from her Viva Vivaldi album recorded in 2000.  A Korean countertenor Justin Kim has recently made a hilarious parody of Bartoli in the same aria. He has amazing technique that allows him to make a credible facsimile of the Bartoli style. According to Mr. Kim who claims to be a big Bartoli fan, it was done with love and admiration for the Italian mezzo.

- Joseph K. So