What a shock it was to suddenly see Cecilia Bartoli (accompanied by pianist Lang Lang) on TV, performing the Olympics anthem at the Opening Ceremonies of the Milano-Cortina Winter Games, February 6, 2026. For many years, I’ve neither heard nor, frankly, thought about her.
It wasn’t always so.
There was a time when such neglect was psychologically impossible, as friends can attest. The following recollection was written over two decades ago, but apart from being shared with a few friends, it remained unpublished until now. It contexualizes my psychological self-diagnosis.
My übertolerant wife, divining that it was but a phase, enjoyed Friday night’s performance next to me.
La Gioiosa[1]: My Encounter with Cecilia Bartoli
Cecilia Bartoli, the mezzo-soprano superstar, is my latest obsession. It began in 1995. The occasion was a PBS special I caught by accident. The remote was in my right hand, a pint of Ben & Jerry’s fudge ice cream in my left. Coming under her spell took about five minutes.
After an hour of paralysis, my left arm alchemized into a chocolate Easter bunny. Continue reading “La Gioiosa: Cecilia B and me”