Life's Pleasures Quote by Cecilia Bartoli

Bartoli’s analogy lands because it refuses the tech-era fantasy that talent can be “hacked” into existence. A voice, she suggests, isn’t a fixed asset you either have or don’t; it’s a living instrument that changes with use, stress, rest, and age. By comparing vocal development to a good red wine, she’s smuggling in a whole philosophy of craft: maturation happens offstage, in slow increments, and you can ruin the product by forcing it.

The subtext is protective, even admonitory. In opera especially, ambition can become a form of self-harm: singing roles too heavy, too high, too soon; scheduling like a pop tour; chasing applause over longevity. Bartoli’s career has been built on precision and stylistic intelligence, and her warning reads as a rebuttal to an industry that can reward premature peak moments. “Give it time” isn’t sentimental; it’s tactical. Time means technique that’s earned, repertoire chosen with restraint, and the patience to let the body catch up to the imagination.

Context matters: the quote comes from a world where young singers are often pushed into “big” repertoire because it sells, and where social media can turn a flashy high note into a brand. Bartoli flips the value system. The goal isn’t speed or spectacle; it’s depth, complexity, and staying power. Like wine, a voice can develop a richer color and character - but only if you don’t uncork it before it’s ready.