Handel: Sta nell'Ircana pietrosa tana (from Alcina)

“Philippe Jaroussky is billed as a countertenor but he has the range and timbre of a soprano. He starts with an aria by Porpora… "Tu che d'ardir" shows off Jaroussky's brilliance in semiquaver runs. Even better is the Capelli, where one of the eponymous brothers laments his lot in long, slow phrases that Jaroussky articulates quite ravishingly.” Gramophone Magazine, March 2008

“The slightly hard-edged vocal quality in the upper register is improved by Jaroussky's impeccable sense of pitch. In summary a rewarding recital, stylishly directed by Emmanuelle Haïm.” BBC Music Magazine, December 2007 ****

“Philippe Jaroussky is one of the best countertenors around. His voice is mellow, evenly toned, wide-ranging and largely free from intrusive mannerism and vocal strain” BBC Music Magazine

“Sarah Connolly is an exemplary Handel singer.
Her recital is dominated by two roles she's performed at ENO, with arias from Alcina and Ariodante.
'Scherza infida' is an addictive mixture of vocal elegance and poignant desolation, and 'Mi lusingha' is sung with a beautiful simplicity that lacks for nothing in drama or passion.
In contrast, the extravagant coloratura in 'Dopo notte' and the robust 'Sta nell'Ircana' capture the virtuoso thrills of heroic joy. In Dejanira's 'Where shall I fly?', she reminds us that taste and subtlety have an important place even in Handel's tormented and emotionally unstable creation. She avoids contrived intensity and allows the quality of the vocal writing to speak for itself.
Harry Christophers' direction is judicious, supportive yet never intrusive. It's pleasant to hear performances that are musically sensible, dramatically sensitive, and brave enough to apply understatement.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010