CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

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Danielle de Niese - Handel Arias

by: Danielle de Niese Les Arts Florissants William Christie

Release Date May 12, 2008
Hey, can this lady sing!!!
Pumped through expensive speakers on my old steam driven amplifier and CD player, her voice rocked the room. It was like being visited by half a dozen different women. Cleopatra popped in a couple of times to tell me her woes. Alminera sang of her despair (far, far better than most I have heard). Medea appeared to tell me of her love and her jealousy. I thought that Armida's anger was going to bring the walls down - boy that girl is ANGRY. Semele, falling under Zeus' spell captivated me and was captivated. One, of course, shouldn't be sexist but to be treated to the sight of such a beautiful woman appearing as all these beautiful women would, indeed, be a pleasure. I, unfortunately, can't afford Glyndebourne ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

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Haydn - The Creation (Die Schöpfung) / Les Arts Florissants, Christie

from: Virgin Classics

Release Date November 19, 2007
Hey, can this lady sing!!!
Pumped through expensive speakers on my old steam driven amplifier and CD player, her voice rocked the room. It was like being visited by half a dozen different women. Cleopatra popped in a couple of times to tell me her woes. Alminera sang of her despair (far, far better than most I have heard). Medea appeared to tell me of her love and her jealousy. I thought that Armida's anger was going to bring the walls down - boy that girl is ANGRY. Semele, falling under Zeus' spell captivated me and was captivated. One, of course, shouldn't be sexist but to be treated to the sight of such a beautiful woman appearing as all these beautiful women would, indeed, be a pleasure. I, unfortunately, can't afford Glyndebourne ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

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Handel Edition (Alcina / Orlando)

from: Warner Classics

Release Date April 14, 2008
Hey, can this lady sing!!!
Pumped through expensive speakers on my old steam driven amplifier and CD player, her voice rocked the room. It was like being visited by half a dozen different women. Cleopatra popped in a couple of times to tell me her woes. Alminera sang of her despair (far, far better than most I have heard). Medea appeared to tell me of her love and her jealousy. I thought that Armida's anger was going to bring the walls down - boy that girl is ANGRY. Semele, falling under Zeus' spell captivated me and was captivated. One, of course, shouldn't be sexist but to be treated to the sight of such a beautiful woman appearing as all these beautiful women would, indeed, be a pleasure. I, unfortunately, can't afford Glyndebourne ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

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Rameau - Pygmalion (Les Arts Florissants/William Christie)

by: Crook, Mellon, Correas, Piau, Les Arts Florissants, Wiiliam Christie

Release Date July 28, 2008
Hey, can this lady sing!!!
Pumped through expensive speakers on my old steam driven amplifier and CD player, her voice rocked the room. It was like being visited by half a dozen different women. Cleopatra popped in a couple of times to tell me her woes. Alminera sang of her despair (far, far better than most I have heard). Medea appeared to tell me of her love and her jealousy. I thought that Armida's anger was going to bring the walls down - boy that girl is ANGRY. Semele, falling under Zeus' spell captivated me and was captivated. One, of course, shouldn't be sexist but to be treated to the sight of such a beautiful woman appearing as all these beautiful women would, indeed, be a pleasure. I, unfortunately, can't afford Glyndebourne ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

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Lully - Atys / Les Arts Florissants, Christie

by: William Christie, Les Arts Florissants, Guy de Mey, Guillemette Laurens, Agnès Mellon, Jean-François Gardeil, Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, Véronique Gens, Jean-Baptiste Lully

Release Date October 01, 1999
Hey, can this lady sing!!!
Pumped through expensive speakers on my old steam driven amplifier and CD player, her voice rocked the room. It was like being visited by half a dozen different women. Cleopatra popped in a couple of times to tell me her woes. Alminera sang of her despair (far, far better than most I have heard). Medea appeared to tell me of her love and her jealousy. I thought that Armida's anger was going to bring the walls down - boy that girl is ANGRY. Semele, falling under Zeus' spell captivated me and was captivated. One, of course, shouldn't be sexist but to be treated to the sight of such a beautiful woman appearing as all these beautiful women would, indeed, be a pleasure. I, unfortunately, can't afford Glyndebourne ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

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Handel: Acis and Galatea

from: Erato (Warner Music)

Release Date July 05, 1999
Hey, can this lady sing!!!
Pumped through expensive speakers on my old steam driven amplifier and CD player, her voice rocked the room. It was like being visited by half a dozen different women. Cleopatra popped in a couple of times to tell me her woes. Alminera sang of her despair (far, far better than most I have heard). Medea appeared to tell me of her love and her jealousy. I thought that Armida's anger was going to bring the walls down - boy that girl is ANGRY. Semele, falling under Zeus' spell captivated me and was captivated. One, of course, shouldn't be sexist but to be treated to the sight of such a beautiful woman appearing as all these beautiful women would, indeed, be a pleasure. I, unfortunately, can't afford Glyndebourne ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

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Landi - Il Sant'Alessio / Les Arts Florissants, Christie

by: Nicolas Rivenq, Les Arts Florissants

Release Date September 03, 2007
Hey, can this lady sing!!!
Pumped through expensive speakers on my old steam driven amplifier and CD player, her voice rocked the room. It was like being visited by half a dozen different women. Cleopatra popped in a couple of times to tell me her woes. Alminera sang of her despair (far, far better than most I have heard). Medea appeared to tell me of her love and her jealousy. I thought that Armida's anger was going to bring the walls down - boy that girl is ANGRY. Semele, falling under Zeus' spell captivated me and was captivated. One, of course, shouldn't be sexist but to be treated to the sight of such a beautiful woman appearing as all these beautiful women would, indeed, be a pleasure. I, unfortunately, can't afford Glyndebourne ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

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Charpentier: La Descente d'Orphée aux enfers

by: Les Arts Florissants Orchestra & Chorus

Release Date October 01, 1999
Hey, can this lady sing!!!
Pumped through expensive speakers on my old steam driven amplifier and CD player, her voice rocked the room. It was like being visited by half a dozen different women. Cleopatra popped in a couple of times to tell me her woes. Alminera sang of her despair (far, far better than most I have heard). Medea appeared to tell me of her love and her jealousy. I thought that Armida's anger was going to bring the walls down - boy that girl is ANGRY. Semele, falling under Zeus' spell captivated me and was captivated. One, of course, shouldn't be sexist but to be treated to the sight of such a beautiful woman appearing as all these beautiful women would, indeed, be a pleasure. I, unfortunately, can't afford Glyndebourne ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

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Handel - Serse

from: Virgin Classics

Release Date October 04, 2004
The competition for this recording is not exactly stiff. Malgoire's 1970s effort is a worthy complete recording with some superb singing from Carolyn Watkinson in the title role, though some less than distinguished singing from others. McGegan's recording had a ham-like David Thomas as Elviro, perhaps going a little further than taste demanded, and Judith Malafronte as a rather non-descript Serse.

This new recording from William Christie and Les Arts Florissants is a joy to savour and, although the booklet says it is a live recording, there is thankfully little off-stage interruption/noise, and few indications of audience participation unlike the recent Dynamic recording of Vivaldi's Rosmira Fedele, or even the Munich Serse on Farao.
... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

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Mozart - Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) / Les Arts Florissants, Christie

from: Erato

Release Date March 18, 1996
This period instrument Flute is a triumph. William Christie eschews the usual headlong period instrument style for a gentle, almost whistful performance. Some of his speeds are actually quite slow but heaviness is avoided as it is conducted with lightness. The playing is good and so is the recording, with a strong all-round cast. This is probably the period instrument version to have.