Un jardin a l’italienne

Songs by Banchieri, Vecchi, Vivaldi, Handel, Haydn etc

Les Soloists du Jardin des Voix; Les Arts Florissants/william Christie Harmonia Mundi HAF 8905283

74:41 mins

From the stable of Les Art Florissants, William Christie and Paul Agnew present their seventh showcase of rising talent: Le Jardin des Voix. The six young singers perform a hugely varied and imaginatively-programmed set of Italian madrigals, arias, and ensembles, anchored by Ariosto’s epic poem Orlando in settings by Wert, Vivaldi, Handel, and Haydn.

The first half, devoted to Renaissance and Baroque repertoire, illustrates the power of music to describe and amplify the emotions. Baritone Renato Dolcini wrings out the full range of passions in Vivaldi’s fitful ‘mad scene’ from Orlando furioso, while soprano

Lucía Martín-cartón’s rendition of Lascia la spina is haltingly beautiful, and tenor Nick Scott is touchingly affecting in ‘Care pupille’ from Vivaldi’s Il Tigrane. Secondhalf Classical repertoire places musicians themselves as the subject matter. The deft humour and quickfire exchanges from the ensemble in excerpts from Cimarosa’s L’impresario in angustie and Haydn’s La Canterina aptly demonstrate the incredible versatility of these top-notch young singers – at home here just as much as they were in the opening lively madrigals of Banchieri and Vecchi.

Les Arts Florissants under William Christie are on fine form, with all their unmistakable trademarks of tempo fluctuation, resonant depth of tone, and ability to switch affect in a heartbeat. Recorded live last year in the Melbourne Recital Centre, the ambiance gives a sense of space to the semi-staged performance, but

there are challenges in microphone placement, footfall is distractingly heavy, and while the audience laughter is charming, inevitable coughs and splutters in the

Italian garden are less attractive. Hannah French PERFORMANCE ★★★★ RECORDING ★★★