Ataraxia
Il Fantasma dell'Opera

It's 1996 and with "Il Fantasma dell'Opera", Ataraxia finally achieve their artistic maturity. Francesca Niccoli (vocals), Vittorio Vandelli (guitars), Giovanni Pagliari (keyboards) are the names behind the project.
Although known mostly in gothic, dark, or industrial circles, the proposal of this Modenese formation is not attributable to any of these genres. Instead, the three artists are promoters of emotional and exhilarating music that sets no limits, stemming from sheer free artistic expression and rooted in literature, visual arts, theater, and popular traditions.

Always devoted to an ethereal folk with strong medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque influences (not forgetting some wave regurgitations from their beginnings), with this album, Ataraxia, an ever-changing entity whose musical guise typically adapts to the lyrical concept chosen each time, incorporate into their sound the atmospheres and settings of symphonic and operatic music.

However, Leroux's namesake work is just a pretext for our artists to carry out their reflections on art and particularly on music, the "ethereal and esoteric" art form par excellence. The Paris Opera House and the various characters of the story serve as settings and puppets to allegorically address the themes of the alienating power of art, the relationship between the artist and the rest of the world, the solitude of the artist that follows, the inevitable clash between the world of art and the real world.
Thus, the Phantom is nothing but a sensitive and fragile being living isolated in his own world of fantasy, feeding exclusively on his own art, music, relegated to a small island in the middle of an artificial lake located right in the basement of the Theater. An unstable inner balance, his, will inevitably be shaken when he falls in love with the emerging opera singer Christine and is forced to face reality and himself. Hence, unfolds a poignant and melancholic story, but also lively and odd, told with the verve of a street performer or a court jester. A story with strong symbolic implications, capable of taking on the traits of a spiritual journey of growth and awareness.
A fantastic and visionary journey that finds its setting in the depths of the Theater's basement, among trapdoors opening, stealthy footsteps, slamming doors, but without ever becoming "easily claustrophobic." The artistic strength of Ataraxia lies precisely in their ability to immerse, even within the confines of a theater basement, their ethereal and timeless world, made of enchanted gardens, open spaces, medieval courts, echoes and symbols that describe interior landscapes, sensations, and emotions of different characters, as happens, for example, in Tarkovsky's films, dense with literary references and hermetic symbolism.

Unfortunately, the work opens with the least successful episode in my opinion: "E' il Fantasma? Part. 1" is essentially a somewhat plastic, impetuous overture that introduces the listener to the operatic settings of the story. But it will only be a matter of a minute, because already starting from the following "E' il Fantasma? Part. 2", what will come out of the stereo speakers will be a real treat for our ears.
From the first vocalizations, one can easily become aware of Niccoli's monstrous abilities, a sort of celestial Diamanda Galás or, even better, a Patty Pravo with an immense vocal range: from the troubled low tones to ethereal warbles up to the high notes that lead straight to Paradise, Niccoli, with personality and the right theatrical flair, has the opportunity to engage in new challenges that certainly do not make her look bad, for example, as an accomplished opera singer. From Latin to Italian to French and English, her unique and unmistakable voice is used as a real musical instrument, and with such prowess that we cannot help but forgive her a few pronunciation mistakes.

"Il Violino Incantato", "Faust in una Sala Maledetta", "La Lira d'Apollo", "Il Signore delle Botole", among Vandelli’s inspired acoustic excursions, and Pagliari’s ethereal keyboards (which dominate in this release), the listening flows pleasantly. And among the various episodes, always varied and rich in suggestion, there is also room for a striking cover of "Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush, supported by Pagliari’s organ and revitalized by Niccoli's stunning performance: although faithful to the original, it is surprising how this version becomes 100% Ataraxia, fitting perfectly into the concept and general atmosphere of the album. A testament, if there was any need, to the maturity of these artists, who are able to chew on everything (from classical music to popular tradition) and appropriate it as only the best interpreters know how.

A great work, and I get chills thinking about what could have come out if the band had had adequate instrumentation, a real piano, for example, or the contribution of a chamber ensemble. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and the grace of the songwriting is somewhat dampened by synthetic sounds and the unfortunate incursions of a drum machine which would have been far preferable to hand percussion.

But that's how Ataraxia are, they have never tarried much over formal perfection, their priority has always been to focus on feelings and reflections and find them a suitable musical clothing. Their Art comes from the heart and their talent reaches us as it is, immediate, without many twists and turn or perfectionism. Take it or leave it.