A rollercoaster ride into the underworld

Arias by Caldara, Handel, Monteverdi, Steffani and Vivaldi Hugh Cutting, Carlo Vistoli (countertenor); Les Arts Florissants/William Christie Harmonia Mundi HAF8905347 68:31 mins Les Arts Florissants’s

Ravel: Ma mère l’Oye; Stravinsky: Le Sacre du printemps Pavel Kolesnikov and Samson Tsoy (piano) Harmonia Mundi HMM902752 49:20 mins Those of us lucky, as I was at both their Ragged Music Festival and

The Seal Woman: A Celtic Folk Opera Yvonne Howard, Catherine Carby, Catriona Hewitson, Seumas Begg, Arthur Bruce, Christian Loizou et al; Orchestra of Scottish Opera/ John Andrews Retrospect Opera RO0

Sonatas Nos 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6; Sonata violino solo representativa in A major Rachel Podger (violin); Brecon Baroque Channel Classics CCS48525 70:08 mins No Arts Council funding was available to rescue

Piano Trios; Piano Quintet, Op. 57* *Julia Fischer (violin),*Nils Mönkemeyer (viola); Oliver Schnyder Trio Prospero PROSP0035 76:52 mins Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet explores a bewildering variety of

Robert Thicknesse on Opera TO ANY SENSIBLE ...