( from google) 
Nicolò Porpora - Come Nave in mezzo all'onde
上周二（ 24/10/2009 ）晚， 在倫敦巴比肯音樂廳，世界著名女中音Cecilia Bartoli 給倫敦的歌迷們演唱了她的最新專輯《 Sacrificium 祭獻》裏的一些曲目。我非常榮幸能去她的音樂會，這次還坐在舞台上， 當了 2 個多小時的觀眾背景《演員》。
Cecilia Bartoli 近年來潛心挖掘和演唱意大利巴羅克時期的一些當年被禁唱和被遺忘的歌劇， 她曾出過一專輯是《被禁唱的歌劇》， 今年 10 月 2 日全球發行了她的最新專輯《 Sacrificium - La scuola dei castrati 》， 還特別推出豪華限量版，配有很厚的一本小書介紹， 是喜歡意大利歌劇歌迷的好收藏。專輯中展現了從 17 世紀到 18 世紀中葉的意大利，萬千男孩為音樂之美而獻身的美麗和殘酷，閹伶 Castrati 華麗淒美的世界。 以前西洋古歌劇裏是沒有女演員的，因此需要男扮女裝，男發女聲，男童可以發出女中、高音稱為童聲女高音 Boy soprano(treble) ，古時為了保持這種發音能力，在男童變聲期前（8歲以前），對男童演員實行閹割，由此產生一種特殊的演員類別，稱之為閹伶 castrati ，這就是西西莉婭提及的在 18 世紀中葉達到鼎盛時期時，僅在意大利，平均每年有超過 4,000 人以音樂的名義進行閹割手術，這也就是專輯名稱的由來。
大家都期待能親自聆聽她的演唱，所以音樂會票很緊張，很多 Cecilia 的忠實歌迷也從世界各地飛來， 票早就脫銷，大概在演出前的 2 個星期，巴比肯音樂廳又加賣一些舞台上的臨時座位，也一售而空，據說巴比肯音樂大廳一般是不這樣做的，隻有當一些非常著名，呼聲很高的音樂家來表演時，才會臨時加的座位。這次我等到了一張退票，賣票時被告知，《帶上你的 ID 證件入場》， 之後也陸續出來了些其他退票而且位子很好，我想算了，再好的位子我也不換了，這次我就在舞台上《陪》 Cecilia 和著名的意大利室內樂團和諧花園(Il Giardino Armonico)樂隊演出吧， 這也許是上天的意思，安排我坐在他們旁邊近距離觀看體會， 得票後我也找了些 Cecilia 和著名的意大利室內樂團和諧花園(Il Giardino Armonico)樂隊的資料學習了解，做了一點功課。
說起來這也不是我第一次現場聽Cecilia Bartoli 的演唱了，最早還要追溯到多年前在巴黎世界青年日（WYD - World Youth Day) 聚會，當時 Vatican 梵蒂岡教皇 讓-保羅二世Jean Paul II 也來了，當時教皇的身體很虛弱，教皇還帶來了兩位意大利的歌劇歌唱家： Cecilia Bartoli 和 Andrea Bocelli ，在巴黎西郊的 Hippodrome de longchamp , 巴黎的一個賽馬場集會演出祈禱。 也是在那我看到了坐在玻璃防彈車裏的教皇讓-保羅二世，也第一次聽Cecilia Bartoli 的歌唱，當時 Cecilia Bartoli 唱幾首, 其中一首是莫紮特的Alleluja 。
話又回到倫敦音樂會：周二那天天氣很不好， 刮風下雨很厲害，我大概提前 10 分鍾到 Barbican ， 一看舞台上台下都差不多坐滿了觀眾，我有點著急，在門口我跟那位門衛說，我的傘放哪啊？那位黑人小夥說，那你去寄存吧，一看時間不多，我說可以就放你這了，我要去找位子了，他很好說話，好吧，待會兒你要記住來去啊。我很喜歡倫敦巴比肯音樂廳，音樂廳大小適中，工作人員很耐斯，也很慷慨，每次都給每位觀眾免費發一本關於演出節目的詳細介紹。
第一次走上舞台當觀眾，看看台下，好多人啊，一位工作人員帶我走去舞台上的左側臨時位子的第一排， 我還挺高興，怎麽還有第一排的位子在等我呢，可以坐下來就發現，我的前麵就是一架大的仿古鋼琴，擋住了不少視野，在旁邊是一台管風琴，演出也快開始了，那就多欣賞古鋼琴吧，還好，前不久自己還作了幾個貼，關於 Cecilia Bartoli 和意大利和諧花園樂隊的，知道和諧花園樂隊被認為是世界上演奏巴洛克時代音樂最具創意，最好的樂隊之一， 就坐在這支著名的樂隊的古鋼琴旁邊聽個夠。
Cecilia Bartoli 的嗓音是很特別，她的歌聲熱情，渾厚，深情，色彩很豐富，花腔繁複華美頗具表現力，戲劇性，花腔由高到低，由低到高，遊刃自如，毫不費力，獨一無二，被譽為《 靈動皇後》，聽到她的演唱是一種享受。Cecilia Bartoli 詮釋莫紮特、羅西尼的音樂獨具特色，她也是目前世界上巴洛克時代音樂最佳的演繹者之一。
一開始樂隊奏了兩曲後，觀眾席上開始歡呼，掌聲雷動， Cecilia Bartoli 出場了，她身穿如照片上那樣的燕尾服帶著禮帽走到台中間，然後把禮帽往一邊一扔，全場一片喝彩聲和掌聲就開始了她的第一首曲子， Nicolò Porpora Sinfonia from “Meride e Selinunte” Allegro ， 她的新專輯裏有不少 Nicolò Porpora 的歌， 據介紹， Nicolò Porpora (17 August 1686 – 3 March 1768)是意大利巴洛克時期歌劇作曲家, 他的學校在拿不勒斯一帶，Nicolò Porpora 也是當時培養閹伶最著名的老師和作曲家之一， 很多著名的閹伶都出自他學校，他創作了一種練聲法，男童們至少要練5年以上。
當時在歐洲，法國是反對對男童演員實行閹割， 而在意大利，特別是在拿不勒斯很窮，很多家庭都希望孩子可以過上好日子而把他們送去閹割， 望他們成名，在閹割的男童裏成名的究竟是少數，大多數人的出路都很慘。 據資料上說，僅在拿不勒斯就有四所孤兒院，後來都全變成學聲樂的學校，
Nicolò Porpora 最著名的學生叫Farinelli ，戲名是 Carlo Maria Broschi, 是意大利18世紀最有名的閹伶之一， 當年（1730s) 在倫敦的演出收入本來是1500英磅，最後獲得眾多名留貴族的欣賞捐贈，獲高達5000英鎊得演出費，Farinelli 的哥哥Antonio Caldara 也為他弟弟Farinelli 作曲，資料上說當年的著名的Farinelli ， 在舞台上的歌聲動人到讓觀眾們都不能自我，都不能呼吸， 他能在高音一個note 上都持續好幾分鍾。
在 Cecilia Bartoli 演出的節目裏曾兩次唱了一位叫leonardo vinci的歌曲，而不是leonardo Da vinci, 據評論說不是我們大家熟知的《達芬奇密碼》的達芬奇，leonardo vinci的歌都很歡快。亨德爾有一些曲子也是為閹伶所作，如他的 《Serse Ombra Mai fu 綠樹成蔭》
特別要提一句的是， 這次音樂會 Cecilia Bartoli 演唱的很多歌曲，自１８世紀演唱過後就再也沒人演唱，直到幾百年後的２１世紀，被一位叫 Cecilia Bartoli 的意大利女中音重新拾唱，歌曲重見光明。 當然Cecilia Bartoli 不是當年的Farinelli ，不可能完全再現這些歌曲當年風采，但至少Cecilia Bartoli 讓世人知道了這一段歌劇曆史，音樂界有的評論很挑剔，說她避開經典歌劇曲目，唱一些偏門歌劇，想避免與其他歌劇歌唱家的比較，《挑剔》那是音樂職業評論家們的本錢， 而我作為樂迷，我覺得已經從她的歌聲中得倒了極大的享受和收獲。
意大利和諧花園樂隊的演奏也是很出色，柔和， 營造出18世紀時期的音樂氣氛，我還特別注意他們的樂器，其中幾位笛子演奏家的笛子有的很短，有的還很像中國的笛子，但看起來是木質的，另外那位拉低音大提琴的，和Cecilia 一樣辛苦，整個音樂會就沒見過他坐過， 除了中間休息。
那晚原定曲目一共７＋５首（＋＝ｉｎｔｅｒｖａｌ），每演唱２－４首曲子， Cecilia Bartoli 就會休息一會兒，樂隊會演奏一些巴羅克時代的曲子， Cecilia Bartoli 每次再回來，都會讓大家眼睛一亮，換裙子了，而且一件比一件漂亮，戲劇性，把晚會推向高潮。可惜那晚坐在台上，不好多照相，好在下半場有機會我坐到更靠前台，視野好了很多。
Cecilia Bartoli Lascia la Spina任我流淚》- 亨德爾的歌劇《Rinaldo 奧蘭多》
演出完後 Cecilia Bartoli 加唱了兩首，都是我非常喜歡的，第一首是來自新專輯Ｂｏｎｕｓ的第３首，另一首就是很多歌劇演唱家喜歡唱的亨德爾的歌劇《Rinaldo 奧蘭多》裏的"Lascia la Spina任我流淚" , 當她唱起"Lascia la Spina任我流淚"時，歌中憂傷也感染了大家，我閉目傾聽，眼淚還是流了出來 盡管 我在youtube 上也看過她的表演，還是不一樣，台下觀眾裏也有擦眼淚。
演出完畢，大家直奔音樂大廳外排隊等待Cecilia 來簽名，音樂會結束時大約晚上10點多了，等了20多分鍾，排隊很長，這是我見過的排隊等簽名隊伍最長的一次，大家很有次序，等待的時候大家都相互交流，我前麵的是兩位英國神士和一位亞裔女孩，開始我以為他們是同事，後來才知道他們也是上次聽Cecilia 音樂會認識的，他們都是Cecilia的鐵杆樂迷，對Cecilia很了解，有的還準備新年去紐約大都市歌劇院聽歌劇，女孩帶來了很多她以前在Cecilia Bartoli 其他演出時拍的照片，拍得非常專業，她還告訴了我們一些Cecilia鮮為人知的事， 說Cecilia是為數不多的不輕易取消演唱會的歌劇演員，大家知道很多歌劇演員一有感冒 或不適就會取消音樂會，可Cecilia 有一次音樂會時感冒，演唱中間休息時趕緊衝熱水澡，堅持唱下來，聽了以後讓我們都很感動。
等待簽名時，巴比肯的工作人員發給大家一小白條，讓大家把自己的名字寫下來， 這樣方便Cecilia寫樂迷的名字，Cecilia給每個人的簽名都寫上樂迷的名字和她自己的名字，還畫個心字，表示問好，非常細心熱心。 倫到我前麵這位女孩時，她問了Cecilia Bartoli 很多問題，Cecilia的助理顯出有些煩躁，因為後麵的隊伍還很長，可Cecilia卻非常耐心給她解答，還叫她上網獲取圖書館查查，當她們談到發聲時，Cecilia還教了那女孩幾招。 輪到我時，我們也說一會兒，我告訴她第一次聽她演唱是在巴黎世界青年大會上，那時保羅二世教皇還健在， 她很高興，她有求必應，我還告訴她在一個中文網站：文學城的音樂快遞（YYKD) 也有一些朋友喜歡她的歌聲，可以為音樂快遞的朋友寫幾個字嗎？ 她非常高興，欣然寫下了：To My Chinese Friends in YYKD - Cecilia Bartoli
我大概是排在隊伍的中部，等她幫我簽完名後， 時間已經是11:45PM， 她還是那麽耐心，她看看排隊的樂迷 然後說《It's moving on》， 我前麵那位女孩說，今晚簽名活動肯定要半夜1點才能結束。 我們幾位樂迷一起走去地鐵，大家議論的話題還是Cecilia和她的歌， 臨別時我們沒留地址什麽的，因為大家知道彼此都是Cecilia 的樂迷， 說不定下次音樂會還會見麵，相聚音樂會！
Cecilia Bartoli 不僅是一位優秀歌劇演唱家，難得的藝術家，更是一位熱情，善良， 大氣的女人， 非常喜歡她和她歌聲！Ciao Cecilia !
當晚的演出節目單：
Il Giardino Armonico
Cecilia Bartoli mezzo-soprano
‘ Sacrificium - La scuola dei castrati’
Nicolò Porpora Sinfonia from “Meride e Selinunte” Allegro
Nicolò Porpora "Come nave" aria of Siface from "Siface"
Antonio Caldara “Profezie, di me diceste” aria of Sedecia from “Sedecia”
Nicolò Porpora “In braccio a mille furie” aria of Mirteo from “Semiramide riconosciuta”
Nicolò Porpora Ouverture from “Germanico in Germania” [Allegro] – Adagio – [Allegro]
Nicolò Porpora “Parto, ti lascio o cara” aria of Arminio from “Germanico in Germania”
Francesco Maria Veracini Ouverture No. 6 g minor Allegro
Leonardo Vinci “Cervo in bosco” aria of Climaco from “Medo”
Leonardo Leo “Qual farfalla”, aria of Decio from “Zenobia in Palmira”
Francesco Araia “Cadrò, ma qual si mira”, aria of Demetrio from “Berenice”
Nicolò Porpora "Usignolo sventurato", aria of Siface from "Siface"
Carl Heinrich Graun "Misero pargoletto", aria of Timante from "Demofoonte"
Francesco Durante Concerto per archi No. 2 g-minor Allegro affettuoso
Antonio Caldara “Quel buon pastor”, aria of Abel from the “componimento sacro” "La morte d’Abel"
Nicolò Porpora Ouvertures from Cantatas “Gedeone” and “Perdono, amata Nice” Adagio – Spiritoso andante – Allegro
Leonardo Vinci “Quanto invidio la sorte… Chi vive amante” Recitative and aria of Erissena from “Alessandro nelle Indie”
Nicolò Porpora "Nobil onda" aria of Adelaide from " Adelaide "
我就坐在這架仿古鋼琴旁，聲音很輕柔好聽，跟樂隊在一起齊奏是不怎麽聽得到它的聲音。
管風琴？ 
我前麵的一位歌劇謎，和Cecilia交談甚歡
PS :
Review1 : BBC Music Magazine :
As the title suggests, Cecilia’s new discovery project revolves around the most famous castratos in the first half of the 18th century and the highly virtuosic and deeply emotional music that was written for those singers.
At the core of this project stand the city of Naples and the school of Nicolò Porpora (1786-1868). Some of the most famous castratos of all times, Farinelli and Caffarelli were amongst Porpora’s students.
Most of the works in the program have not been performed since the 18th century. Amongst others, there will be works by Porpora, Caldara, Giacomelli, R. Broschi, Leo, Araia a nd Graun .
Cecilia Bartoli is one of the classical music world's great stars, her fabulous voice and energetic devotion to her art earning her a loyal worldwide following, CD sales of over 6 million and many of classical music's most prestigious awards.
Those legions of fans, it must be said, have impeccable taste. This Italian mezzo soprano's beauty of tone and seemingly effortless precision in the most technically demanding of passages continue to amaze and invigorate opera lovers. Her repertoire choices and often innovative projects are all stamped with the Bartoli mark of individuality and excellence. To recent projects – a disc of music composed during 18th century Rome 's prohibition of opera, and an exploration of the musical world of legendary 19th century singer Maria Malibran – Bartoli last year added a wonderfully observed and ravishingly sung recording of Bellini's bel canto masterpiece La sonnambula.
‘Cecilia Bartoli stands apart from other classical artists with her talent for unearthing and breathing new life into long-forgotten music.’
Review2
Complaints recently lobbed at Renée Fleming and Angela Gheorghiu over shortchanging their concert audiences could not be levelled at Cecilia Bartoli. At the Barbican, like Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall, the Italian prima donna sang her heart out and could have gone on all night. Whether a less reckless expenditure of vocal energy might have yielded greater artistic returns is a moot point.
Bartoli was performing arias associated with the legendary 18th-century castrati, and her natural showmanship was in evidence from the moment she appeared in Dick Turpin get-out, with thigh-length boots, a scarlet-lined cape and a tricorne flamboyantly tossed aside as she took to the platform.
Cecilia is a true star. It is impossible to resist her bravado, and the audience duly went wild. But this was one of those occasions when her vices jostled with her virtues, and even her most ardent fans must have felt that the more virtuosic numbers did her no favours, pushing her way beyond the canons of bel canto.
In Porpora's Come nave and Nobil onda, for example, too much forced, threadbare tone marred the passages of coloratura, articulated in Woody Woodpecker style. Some squally high notes were sharply pitched, and others were squeezed rather than floated. This was kamikaze singing, and its over-assertiveness became very wearisome.
There were sunbursts. The moment the pressure comes off the voice and the pace slows, Bartoli still blossoms as a supreme musician, finely tuned in style, sure in breath control, firm in legato, and imaginative in her relish of the text. In Broschi's Chi non sente and Caldara's Quel buon pastor, she was the embodiment of baroque melancholy, and her delicious sense of fun came to the fore in Leo's Qual farfalla and Vinci's Chi vivi amante.
Yet there wasn't really enough good music to sustain a concert that lasted over two and a half hours, padded out with perky overtures and sinfonias played by Il Giardino Armonico.
Heard in bulk, the clichés of this period of music are all too evident, and I couldn't stop my mind wandering to an announcement in the programme that next June Bartoli will confront the challenge of Bellini's Norma. Now that I would like to hear.
（ Cecilia Bartoli at the Barbican, review http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/opera/6660250/Cecilia-Bartoli-at-the-Barbican-review.html ）
Review3 寫得很挑剔
A Cecilia Bartoli concert is a package deal. You get a big personality, an extrovert show, a still-remarkable voice, and a lot of technically difficult vocal music on the margins of the repertoire from her latest CD. Plenty of people have had it with the Bartoli phenomenon. But a lot of others can't get enough. She packs a hall and they adore her.
Bartoli made a great entrance dressed like a pantomime principal boy. But this offering was not for the squeamish, especially if you buy the extravagantly illustrated CD. It's a celebration, if that is the word, of arias written for 18th-century baroque castratos, mainly by the Neapolitan composer and teacher Nicola Porpora, whose many pupils included the famous Farinelli. Most of the pieces chosen by Bartoli were either dazzlingly fast, enabling her to show off her coloratura, or spun out in the minor key, showcasing her often ravishing, but thinning, legato. Occasionally there was a novelty, like Porpora's nightingale aria from his opera Siface, complete with bird song accompaniment, and, more interestingly, a harmonically imaginative aria by the German composer Carl Heinrich Graun. In the end, though, most of these pieces merged into one another. And since Bartoli is anything but a castrato, the insights into the vocal art of this brutal tradition were necessarily limited. One spent a lot of the evening longing for some Handel, which only arrived in the encores.
The issue with Bartoli comes down to a clash between two things. On the one hand, she remains a brilliant vocal technician with an unusually rich if small mezzo soprano. On the other, in her later career she increasingly avoids singing anything of great musical significance, or anything in which she can be compared with others. She is a special and disturbingly evasive artist.
（http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/nov/25/cecilia-bartoli-review）
