"Between Heaven and Earth"
Handel
Sacred and operatic arias
**** (4 stars)
Sandrine Piau (sop), Accademia Bizantina/ Stefano Montanari
Piau's disc Opera Seria introduced her as a Handelian of the first order, able to combine astonishing vocal agility with a gorgeously melting, clear-edged sound. Now she develops her affinity with the composer's work and looks at his use of the high soprano voice to signify celestial beauty in all its forms. There are arias of blazing angelic coloratura from La resurrezione, of quiet radiance from A Song for St Cecilia's Day, and of anguished yearning after heavenly peace from Theodora. Her English diction wobbles occasionally, but her voice is as supple and clear as ever, and the accompaniments are lusciously rich.
WT
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