Purcell: When I am laid in earth (from Dido and Aeneas) (Dido's Lament)

Admired for her remarkable creative imagination and exemplary musicianship, soprano Patricia Petibon, in her newest album for Deutsche Grammophon, offers a treasure-trove of fascinating Baroque curiosities guaranteed to enthral both the Baroque aficionado and the casual listener.

Nouveau Monde is conceived as a journey from the Old to the New World, a spell-binding collection of arias, songs and pieces from European composers (Charpentier, Händel, Rameau, Purcell) that testify to their composers’ fascination with the exoticism of recently-discovered lands, as well as South American folksongs which boast exceptional rhythmic energy and colour

Spectacularly accompanied by the La Cetra Baroque Orchestra under the excelling direction of Andrea Marcon – who also stands out as a Baroque organist and harpsichordist - Patricia enchants our senses with a mélange of 17th-century arias and folk songs from England, France, Spain, and Latin America

As a follow-up to her best-selling Rosso and Melancolía albums, Patricia Petibon’s 2012 release is guaranteed to be one of the most popular and sought-after Baroque releases of the year

As a tribute to the artistry of Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, this retrospective gathers together many of the finest recordings of arias and duets made during her acclaimed association with harmonia mundi. The booklet notes include tributes from her husband, Peter Lieberson, Nicholas McGegan and her obituary from Le Monde.

Lorraine Hunt - who became Lorraine Hunt Lieberson after her marriage to the American composer Peter Lieberson in 1999 - was born on March 1st 1954, in San Francisco. Her father was a music teacher and a conductor, her mother a contralto and a voice teacher. She played viola professionally until she was 26, when she found that her voice could be a better and richer way to express her musicality and secure her professional future. Lorraine would have a professional singing career of only 2 decades (1984-2006), interrupted twice by illness. She died from cancer on July 3, 2006, aged 52.

For harmonia mundi, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson recorded operas, oratorios and Handel arias, conducted notably by Nicholas McGegan. For Erato, she added the rôles of Rameau’s Phèdre and Charpentier’s Medea, under William Christie. Since her death, other taped live performances have been added to her discography, including two Wigmore Hall Live recitals and Peter Lieberson’s Rilke and Neruda Songs.

In 2009 harmonia mundi issued a recital given at the Ravinia Festival in August 2004 with pianist Peter Serkin. More recently, new label Philharmonia Baroque has issued Lorraine’s live performances of Les Nuits d’Eté and Handel Arias.

A formidable musician, a natural-born actress, she was at her best in roles of sacrificed victims, which didn’t prevent her from displaying a dark sense of humour. After having sung during the same evening Stravinsky’s Jocasta and Britten’s Phaedra, she once said: ‘Two suicides in one night! That’s right up my alley’.

“For those who loved Lorraine and her singing, and for those who have not yet heard her, my gratitude to harmonia mundi.” PETER LIEBERSON (b.1946, d.2011)

Since her early success in Glyndebourne’s now famous production of Handel’s Giulio Cesare, Danielle de Niese has become most closely associated with the music of the Baroque. The New York Times commented: “A voice seductive enough to woo gods as well as mortals”.

With her third solo album, Danielle de Niese embodies the Beauty of the Baroque with an album of arias from the English, German, and Italian traditions, accompanied by the leading European Baroque orchestra, The English Concert, under Harry Bicket. Many popular arias feature, including Handel’s, ‘Ombra mai fu’, and highlights from JS Bach’s Cantatas are contrasted with much loved solo songs by Purcell and Dowland.

Decca’s star countertenor Andreas Scholl joins Danielle de Niese for duets including the ravishing duet “Pur ti miro” from Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea.

The greatest countertenor of today, Andreas Scholl returns to the Decca label with a recording of vocal jewels by the great baroque composer, Henry Purcell. This is Andreas Scholl's first ever recording of the music of Purcell and his uniquely beautiful voice is perfectly suited to the English composer's plangent melodies. The album includes pieces written for the stage, the church and the private chamber, some of which Andreas Scholl has sung in recital for many years, and some he sings for the first time.

Andreas Scholl's long-standing collaborators, ‘Accademia Bizantina’ bring out the Italian influence in Purcell's instrumental writing, and contribute orchestral items to the programme. 'O Solitude' is Andreas Scholl's first Decca album since the chart-topping ‘Handel: Arias For Senesino' in 2006.

The album includes the well known lament 'When I Am Laid In Earth' - recently voted the UK's No.1 favourite aria in a BBC Radio 3 poll - written for the character of Dido in Purcell's opera, Dido and Aeneas.

Andreas Scholl is joined for two duets by French countertenor Christophe Dumaux.

‘What I want to do with my lute is to sing’ Edin Karamazov

On his extraordinary debut album, the modern master of the lute explores all the colours of this most evocative and versatile of instruments - in music from the Renaissance to the modern day. The many voices of his lutes and guitars are joined by four of today’s most remarkable singers - Renée Fleming, Kaliopi, Andreas Scholl & Sting - in new interpretations of songs from the pop, folk and classical traditions.