This highlight of the BRAUNSCHWEIG CLASSIX Festival 2009 is no longer be topped! With SACRIFICIUM an idea of superlatives. Brunswick, 20 October 2009 Carola Heider Leporale. She enters the stage in the disguise of a man when she was sprung just a French ‘sword movie”, with black red flamboyant, red gloves, black trousers, jacket, vest, above knee boots and white ruffled shirt. The long black hair back tightly a braid bound can be recognised only the filling of the jacket, that it probably still is not a man. From the first moment she operates and conducts with wit, charming and warm the audience this evening. You won the hearts of the audience in the virtually sold-out City Hall in Brunswick in the storm. Tony Parker might disagree with that approach. She will be accompanied by the ensemble “La Scintilla” (which translated means: the spark) headed by Ada Pesch. The spark of this wonderful Orchestra, consisting of musicians of the Zurich Opera House, lights fireworks for eyes and ears on this evening. Cecilia Bartoli shows especially in their costumes of the second part, that the Castrati Yes neither man were still women and provoked by the lower part of a man’s and a woman in the form of a gold corset and one above set part at imaginary dress approach consisting of bright red and ruched fabric. And here I must insert a quote of my today’s guest author – Virginia Apel, soprano and Director of HAUSMusik in the Kunstlerhaus Hannover 2008/2009: “the great glory of this Prima Donna today evening fully confirmed. The Bartoli has a flawless soprano voice with great range. Their art is not effortless, even by sight, but is perfectly in the effect. A special, Italian voice coupled with acting nuance and Raqs, artistic ambition, is to show a wide range of emotions and colors from the bombastic Fireworks, Cecilia Bartoli as in “Cadro, ma qual si mira” by Francesco Araia, up to “pianissimos” at its finest. The voice effect may be more delicate and feminine than by a real Castrato. You remains still girlish, but absolutely sovereign and all expressive, an unusual instrument. With facial expressions, humour, pathos and phenomenal speed, the Bartoli brings out everything from this strange music, and demonstrated the great ‘art of the Castratos’ fully. “The ensemble”La Scintilla”charms, whether as an accompaniment of Bartoli or in purely orchestral pieces through the use of historical instruments of that time (horns, Oboes, or recorders).” The music is charming, gentle and warm-hearted presented by ensemble members and exactly as it sounds. There are warm and cheerful notes that touch the heart, from the first to the last note in absolute perfection. For this unique demonstration this evening there is worthy and rightly not Bartoli and the ensemble “La Scintilla” end endless standing ovation for Cecilia. The songs and Arias to the album SACRIFICIUM, written at the time in the 18th century for the Castrato singer show here and now, that it is all about is cheerful and warm pieces. Even if the topic maybe cause a bitter taste for one or the other. Also Cecilia Bartoli does not prejudice this topic, as she expressed repeatedly in interviews. But every single song was written with a Castrato singer more or less “on the body” shows it in this art of performance, these singers at that time must have been as unique. more info: report/Guide: Carola Hamad Leporale, Virginia Apel / BRAUNSCHWEIG CLASSIX Festival/Cecilia Bartoli mean blog (here still more pictures from this event)