Opera Arias and Cantatas

"Maria Bayo is a delightfully spirited singer, responsive to words and music, and with a bright gleam to her voice

Bayo starts with an aria that is always a sure winner, Cleopatra's triumphal celebration in Giulio Cesare of her brother's defeat and her conquest (amorous, of course) of Caesar: Bayo sings 'Da tempeste' with tremendous vivacity, precise articulation and beautifully clean pitching. In 'V'adoro, pupille', from much earlier in the same opera, she is gently seductive, conveying just a hint of sensual languor, singing on a chamber- music scale with a delicately colourful accompaniment from Capriccio Stravagante under Skip Sempe. In 'Se pieta', one of the more tragic utterances, at a dark moment in the opera, she is not over-intense, but the tone is richer, the lines expressively shaped.

The performance of the cantata Tra le fiamme is notable for the brilliance and accuracy of Bayo's duetting in the opening aria with the obbligato viola da gamba; here I also enjoyed her sensitive and meaningful delivery of the recitative and the airy oboe playing in the central aria. She sings 'Lascia ch'io pianga' with a refined line, though perhaps more vibrato than one might wish, and there is some gently alluring ornamentation in the da capo. As a Spaniard, she naturally includes Handel's little Spanish cantata, No se emendera jamas, a light piece with guitar accompaniment, which is delicately done: this seems to be its only current recording with a soprano.

Of the arias from Alcina, Morgana's 'Tornami a vagheggiar' is a delight for its high spirits and Bayo's easy, natural mode of delivery. 'Mi restano le lagrime', where Alcina faces her downfall, is done with pathos and poignancy - and again in the da capo her ornamentation (and the rather free tempo) allows for heightening of the expression."
(Gramophone 2000)

"This singer has a rich, vivid voice and sings with liveliness, vivacity and accuracy; in many ways her singing on this disc is ideal. She comes over as a singer of great character who can bring drama through a fine musical performance. In all these items, the singer is beautifully accompanied by the crisp, up-front playing of Skip Sempe and Capriccio Stravagante. This is a lovely recital and displays Bayo's talents in this tricky repertoire. Her vocalisation in the Italian opera arias is nearly ideal."
(MusicWeb)