Monday, October 26, 2009

Castratinis will be served

Cecilia Bartoli’s latest recording project, Sacrificium, is one of this fall's most anticipated releases. To celebrate, Decca will host a free, unique event on November 16 at 7:30pm. The release party, at (le) poisson rouge in New York City's West Village, will feature a video recording of Bartoli performing selections from the album. The concert was recorded on September 10, 2009 at the court theater of the Reggia di Caserta, a palace built for the Bourbon kings of Naples. Mixologist Allen Katz has created a special cocktail, "The Castratini," for the occasion. Bartoli will greet New York City fans with a special video message, and door prizes will be awarded.

Cecilia Bartoli found artistic inspiration for Sacrificium in one of music history’s most fascinating—and cruel—subjects: the castrati of the Baroque era. Constantly challenging herself and her fans by recording virtually unknown repertoire, Bartoli continues to carry the art form to new aesthetic and intellectual heights. This new album is no exception, featuring over an hour of world-premiere recordings. Sacrificium marks the first collaboration of Il Giardino Armonico, Giovanni Antonini, and Bartoli since their Grammy Award-winning The Vivaldi Album ten years ago. The comprehensive album package includes over 100 minutes of diverse and splendid tracks, as well as a 100-page illustrated compendium The A to Z of the Castrati. The album, which was recently featured in the New York Times, Billboard, and on NPR, releases today: October 26, 2009.

Allen Katz is the Director of Mixology & Spirits Education for Southern Wine & Spirits of New York. He is also the host of The Cocktail Hour a weekly program on Martha Stewart’s Sirius Satellite Radio. He has been a featured sommelier at wine festivals around the country and is a lecturer on spirits and mixology for the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) in New York City as well as for the Food Studies Program at New York University.

Cecilia Bartoli’s voice and artistry have sold 6 million CDs, capturing the hearts of countless opera lovers and casual listeners alike. She is known to sell out prestigious concert halls all over the world, most recently New York’s Carnegie Hall last spring. Her awards include multiple Golden Discs, four Grammys, seven Echos, and the Victoire de la Musique. She has been given Italian knighthood, solidifying her role as one of Rome’s favorite daughters. She will tour the repertoire of Sacrificium throughout Europe in the 2009-2010 season.

(le) poisson rouge is located at 158 Bleecker Street, between Thompson and Sullivan.

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