Notes and Editorial Reviews
"Ms. Bartoli has an eye for spying out unjustly overlooked repertory. Mystery lovers will want to join her on the trail of her latest discovery, Agostino Steffani, an Italian Baroque composer, priest and diplomat, whose secret missions took him across Germany and Northern Europe. Among the opera arias Ms. Bartoli dug up in the archives are some treasures, hypnotic, slow numbers in which voice and accompanying strings circle each other like spinning planets and jubilant vehicles for her rapid-fire coloratura singing. Mr. Fasolis stokes the fire with an impetuous period-instrument ensemble." -- Zachary Woolfe, The New York Times [11/20/2012]
Cecilia
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Bartoli's latest project has international politics, religious conflict, diplomatic secrecy, spying, and sensational music at its heart. The singer turns to the early Baroque period for the first time in her recording career and uncovers a treasure of beautiful music in an album almost entirely composed of world-premiere recordings.
Mission showcases the music of little-known Italian composer Agostino Steffani (1654–1728) and includes solo arias, duets (including first-time collaborations with French countertenor Philippe Jaroussky), solo numbers with chorus, and instrumental interludes that create an organic arc from beginning to end.
Steffani's story is mysterious, to say the least. His name is largely absent from studies of Italian music, despite holding senior court positions during his lifetime and contemporary accounts acknowledging him as one of the greatest opera composers of the period and the acknowledged master of the vocal duet. His story even inspired longtime Bartoli admirer and global best-selling author Donna Leon to write a mystery novel, Jewels of Paradise (to be released at the same time as Mission), that centers its plot on the composer's enigmatic life. With Mission, Cecilia Bartoli brings Steffani's music out of the shadows for a happier fate that it richly deserves. Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Alarico il Baltha: Schiere invitte, non tardate by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1687
2.
Servio Tullio: Ogni core può sperar by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1686
3.
Niobe, regina di Tebe: Ove son? Chi m’aita? In mezzo all’ombre...Dal mio petto by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: 1688
4.
Tassilone: Più non v’ascondo by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1709
5.
Niobe, regina di Tebe: Amami, e vederai by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano),
Rosario Conte (Lute)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: 1688
6.
Niobe, regina di Tebe: T’abbraccio, mia Diva…Ti stringo, mio Nume by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano),
Philippe Jaroussky (Countertenor)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: 1688
7.
I trionfi del fato: Mie fide schiere, all’armi! by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: 1695
8.
Arminio: Suoni, tuoni, il suolo scuota by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: 1707
9.
Tassilone: Sposa, mancar mi sento…Deh non far colle tue lagrime by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1709
10.
La superbia d'Alessandro: Non prendo consiglio by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1690
11.
Alarico il Baltha: Sì, sì, riposa, o caro…Palpitanti sfere belle by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1687
12.
La libertà contenta: Notte amica al cieco Dio by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1693
13.
I trionfi del fato: Combatton quest’alma by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano),
Philippe Jaroussky (Countertenor)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: 1695
14.
Tassilone: A facile vittoria by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1709; Düsseldorf, Germany
15.
La superbia d'Alessandro: Tra le guerre e le vittorie by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Swiss Radio Chorus,
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1690
16.
La libertà contenta: Foschi crepuscoli by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1693
17.
Niobe, regina di Tebe: Dell’alma stanca a raddolcir le tempre…Sfere amiche, or date al labbro by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: 1688
18.
La lotta d'Hercole con Acheloo: La cerasta più terribile by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1689
19.
Niobe, regina di Tebe: Serena, o mio bel sole…Mia fiamma…Mio ardore by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano),
Philippe Jaroussky (Countertenor)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: 1688
20.
Tassilone: Dal tuo labbro amor m’invita by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1709
21.
La libertà contenta: Deh stancati, o sorte by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1693
22.
La libertà contenta: Svenati, struggiti, combatti, suda by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1693
23.
Tassilone: Padre, s’è colpa in lui by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1709
24.
Le rivali concordi: Timori, ruine by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Philippe Jaroussky (Countertenor),
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Swiss Radio Chorus,
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1692
25.
Henrico Leone: Morirò fra strazi e scempi by Agostino Steffani
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1689
26.
Marco Aurelio: Non si parli che di fede by Agostino Steffani
Conductor:
Diego Fasolis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Swiss Radio Chorus,
I Barocchisti
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1681
Featured Sound Samples
Servio Tullio: "Ogni core può sperar"
Niobe, regina di Tebe: "Serena, o mio bel sole... Mia fiamma... Mio ardore"
La superbia d'Alessandro: "Tra le guerre e le vittorie"
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review: 
( 1 Customer Review )
An amazing voice November 13, 2012
By Paul Burgess (Wheaton, IL) See All My Reviews
"I have enjoyed this CD a lot. Cecilia Bartoli's voice is almost like an instrument with perfect pitch and wonderful dexterity. I find it amazing that she can move with those quick passages as easily as it sounds. I have never heard of the composer or his music that she is singing. I wonder what other kinds of works that he has written. Two slight negatives: -- The package seemed overbearing. Almost too much information. -- A number of the pieces that she sang seemed very much the same. I might have hoped for a more varied program."
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