Watch now: The Bocelli Bartoli duet

Watch now: The Bocelli Bartoli duet

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norman lebrecht

October 29, 2020

They said it could never happen.

You see it here first.

He plays the piano. She seems happy, and a bit higher than mezzo.

 


photo: Luca Rossetti

Comments

  • V.Lind says:

    I suspect that recording is going to do Cecilia Bartoli some good, in terms of expanding her fan base and introducing her to a whole new crowd. It has the ingredients of a hit. Could be his biggest since Con Te Partiro.

    She does look happy. I have no reason to believe he is not a very nice guy, and he sure lives in a beautiful spot.

    More importantly, she sounds happy. She sings happy.

    • Greg Bottini says:

      I too hope it becomes a big hit, Ms. V.!
      They both sing beautifully – this kind of song is in Bocelli’s wheelhouse (and he hits it out of the park) – and the superb Cecilia Bartoli is not only in gorgeous voice, she shows again what a great team player she is.
      And your description “happy” is right on.
      This is the kind of song that you would listen to after a particularly stressful day, with a chilled glass of prosecco in your hands.
      Bravi, Cecilia ed Andrea!

  • Bloom says:

    It s not that bad. I somehow like how self-effacing he sounds and how melodious she seems by comparison.

  • Melisande says:

    Sickly Sentimenal.

  • Norbert says:

    Vastly superior to what most Italian taxi drivers listen to on their radios from what I’ve experienced!

  • Dalledu Alletre says:

    Soprano roles she has sung and recorded complete:

    Bellini Amina,
    Bellini Norma,
    Gluck Iphigénie,
    Händel Alcina,
    Händel Almirena,
    Händel Cleopatra,
    Händel Semele,
    Haydn Armida,
    Haydn Euridice,
    Mozart Despina,
    Mozart Elvira,
    Mozart Fiordiligi,
    Mozart Sifare,
    Mozart Susanna,
    Mozart Zerlina,
    Paisiello Nina,
    Rossini Adèle,
    Rossini Clarice and
    Rossini Elena.

  • mary says:

    Could be worse. At least it wasn’t a duet with Julio Iglesias.

  • Brian says:

    I wouldn’t have seen this one coming from Bartoli, but she’s probably looking at the next stages in her career and sees an opening here.

    Let’s just hope Bocelli is done speaking out against lockdowns and other public health measures, as we saw earlier this year.

  • Linda says:

    This makes me feel amazing

  • John Borstlap says:

    Kitsch pays.

  • I wear my sunglasses at night. says:

    Who is leading who here?

  • M2N2K says:

    Her mezzo has always been of a lighter variety and she does not sing anything higher than G# here which has always been well within her range. He on the other hand sings a few notes here that are far below any “regular” tenor reach including low D all the way down in a true basso profondo territory. Not surprisingly, he still sounds “pop” and she still sounds “operatic”. Overall, pretty harmless little entertainment.

  • Papageno says:

    Bocelli is a pop singer who thinks he can sing opera. Bartoli is an opera singer who thinks she can sing pop.
    They’re both WRONG.

  • AndrewB says:

    This is charming and pleasant enough . Its not a crime to bring pleasure to folks who like classical and light pop music combined. However, personally I find the song a bit boring and nothing really develops. Bartoli and Bocelli make it work through their understated performances.

    • V.Lind says:

      That’s exactly what I think. It is not disagreeable but it is somehow disappointing. “Nothing really develops” nails it.

      My introduction to Bocelli was his album Romanza, from which I was charmed by Con Te Partiro, a terrific song (though RUINED by Sarah Brightman), and his duet Vivo Per Lei, recorded in that album with Giorgia. (Italian pop music is one of my guilty pleasures).

      As I said above, this has the potential to be a hit — the combination of the two is marketable and attention-gathering, and she is sensational in it.

      Hey, it’s lockdown in Italy. They are just trying to make a living! Along the way, I suspect they will give a lot of people some pleasure and they will do no harm.

  • Poco a poco rit. says:

    Sacred meets profane. Result: Bleh.

  • papageno says:

    I was expecting a bedroom scene at the end. Purtroppo.

  • Ewurasi says:

    Beautiful

  • Deborah Romanchik says:

    Fabulosa!!when are you going on tour?

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