The 17th-century Italian art song repertory traditionally reserved for novice singers is given new life via Bartoli's artistry. With impeccable diction and evocative phrasing, she captures every innuendo of these simple, but passionate, pieces. No two repetitive phrases are alike; she chisels every line into a landscape of interpretive magnificence. Scarlatti's simple "O Cessate di Piagarmi" becomes a testament of innocent pain and plaintiveness. Giordano's "Caro Mio Ben" is transformed into a tender cry for love. All embellishments are imaginative and well executed. Accompaniment by György Fischer is equally appealing, sensitive and precise. Every singer questing for the art of singing should study these.

Mozart wrote some of his most appealing music for the mezzo-soprano voice with the roles of Cherubino and Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Dorabella in Così fan tutte and Zerlina in DonGiovanni each boasting at least one memorable aria. Alongside these this disc includes a handful of concert arias including Ch'io mi scordi di te? which was written for the farewell performance of the great mezzo Nancy Storace with Mozart playing the concertante piano role. Here with as innate an interpreter of Mozart's piano writing as András Schiff and a voice so remarkably self-assured as Cecilia Bartoli's the electricity of that first, historic performance seems almost to be recreated.

This radiant and nostalgic portrait at the same time constitutes a precious testimony on the art of a great lady of the song on the dawn of a career which one guesses already prestigious.