Cecilia Bartoli, mezzo-soprano
with Orchestra La Scintilla
of Zürich Opera

Toronto, ON – World-renowned Italian mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli has one of the truly distinctive voices of the opera world, recognizable after merely a few notes. It helps to explain the "Bartoli Phenomenon" and why her recital and opera engagements around the globe consistently sell out. She first enthralled Toronto audiences with her exquisite coloratura and spellbinding virtuosity in 1993, and returns for her seventh appearance at Roy Thomson Hall on Sunday, March 1, 2009 at 2pm and 7pm. She is joined by the distinguished 34-member Orchestra La Scintilla of Zürich Opera, the same superb ensemble that accompanied Ms. Bartoli at her last Roy Thomson Hall appearance in 2005. (The 2pm concert is sold out! Tickets for the 7pm concert went on sale in December when Ms. Bartoli agreed to perform a 2^nd concert the same day.)

Ms. Bartoli’s program, "200 years Maria Malibran – La Rivoluzione Romantica," draws from her recent award-winning CD, Maria, which celebrates the extraordinary life and art of the great 19^th century opera superstar Maria Malibran (1808-1836). Malibran was worshiped as the public goddess of Romanticism and inspired such composers as Mendelssohn, Rossini and Donizetti, whose music will be performed along with works by Manuel Garcia (her father), Persiani, Balfe, Beriot, Hummel and Malibran herself. Malibran was born in Paris into a Spanish family; her father was a celebrated tenor and composer and her younger sister, Pauline Viardot, would also become a famous opera singer. Malibran’s life and sensational career ended abruptly at the age of only 28 from injuries suffered in a riding accident.

With more than 6 million CDs sold, Cecilia Bartoli is one of the today’s best-selling classical artists. Her Maria CD is the latest in a series of award-winning recordings reflecting her interest in musicians and compositions that have been otherwise neglected by today’s audiences. Some of her other "rediscovery" CDs include The Vivaldi Album, Gluck Italian Arias, The Salieri Album and Opera Proibita. Her albums have received countless international awards, including four Grammys, numerous Golden Discs, seven Echos and a Bambi (Germany), two Classical Brit Awards (UK), the Victoire de la Musique (France), and the Edison Prize (Netherlands).

Ms. Bartoli has been honoured with the Italian Knighthood, the Spanish Gold Medal of Merit and is an "Accademico effettivo" of Santa Cecilia, Rome, a French "Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres," and an "Honorary Member" of the Royal Academy of Music, London, England.

The Orchestra La Scintilla of Zürich Opera was formed in 1996 and is a specialist group within the Zürich Opera Orchestra that performs operas from the 17^th and 18^th century on period instruments. What had ignited the interest of players and public alike, also gave the inspiration for the group’s name, "La Scintilla" (Italian for "the spark"). The orchestra performs regularly with Ms. Bartoli on tour throughout North America and Europe, and collaborated with her on the Maria CD and DVD, and a recording of Bellini’s La Sonnambula.

The 2:00 pm concert is sponsored by RBC