UK debut for singing sensation

Bartoli: Won a Grammy award for her Vivaldi album

The celebrated opera singer Cecilia Bartoli makes her British stage debut on Monday - one of only three productions the diva will grace this season.

The production - of Haydn's last opera L'anima del filosofo - is also a première for the Royal Opera House.

Bartoli is to perform a dual role at Covent Garden

Tickets are already sold out for this dazzling set of firsts which is exciting even the performers.

"There is a buzz," Bartoli tells BBC News Online.

"It is a great piece, composed for London but never performed here and I thought this would be wonderful."

L'anima Filosofo is the personal choice of the Grammy Award-winner and best-selling recording artist, who is known as an artist with strong opinions.

There were many raised eyebrows when the mezzo-soprano decided to record a CD of Vivaldi songs last year, but it went on to be a critical and sales success.

Bartoli is unapologetic for her strong opinions.

My mother said: 'You must be realistic Cecilia - do you really think you will survive as a Flamenco dancer in Rome?

Cecilia Bartoli

"I think its important to perform the music you like and that speaks to you - not just perform music because it is popular," she says.

L'anima del filosofo was written by Haydn in 1791, specifically for performance at the Royal Opera House, but it has taken until now to be performed there.

Based on the famous Greek legend of lost love, Orpheus and Euridice, Bartoli will play dual roles.

She will sing Euridice and also the role of Genio, a ghostly being who guides Orpheus into the underworld to find his dead love.

It is almost inconceivable that she will disappoint her fans, but it is certainly an unusual choice.

Bartoli has performed opera extracts in the UK before

Many would prefer to see the star in operatic crowd-pleasers like Carmen.

Bartoli was born in Rome to a singing family.

Her mother, Silvana, has been her voice coach since La Bartoli took up singing as a child.

But this was no pushy mother relationship - Bartoli confirms that Silvana is "special" and their relationship is very warm.

It was Silvana who persuaded the young Bartoli from a job as a dancer.

Her daughter was fixed on a career in Flamenco but she was made to see the folly of the dream.

I feel that I must choose things that mean a lot to me as this is the only way to send the message - if you believe in the music you can make them believe too

Cecilia Bartoli

Bartoli describes the scene with some mirth.

"My mother said: 'You must be realistic Cecilia - do you really think you will survive as a Flamenco dancer in Rome?'."

It is not difficult to imagine the handsome Bartoli as a Flamenco dancer, but the world would have been deprived of what is considered a rare talent.

Even the 14-year-old Flamenco dancer-manqué was surprised to hear the power of her own voice.

"I went 'Oops, that's from me? is that coming from my body?'," she giggles.

What is different about her is that she is lower voiced than the majority of female opera stars, such as Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland.

The role she will sing at Covent Garden was also embraced by these great sopranos, offering as it does a fantastic showcase for the star in dual role.

Those who have managed to acquire tickets or are willing to queue for day-tickets will be treated to the sight of the 35-year-old Bartoli dying on stage.

"I hope I will share as much as I can on Monday to convince the audience that Haydn is fantastic," she says.

"I feel that I must choose things that mean a lot to me as this is the only way to send the message - if you believe in the music you can make them believe too."