The title for this release by tenor is a bit misleading. intended it as a counterpart to an earlier release called , but it is likely to indicate for many listeners a countertenor voice. That is not what is happening here; these are tenor arias, pure and simple. This said, what offers here is something that is much needed, a counterpart to the athletic 18th century opera recitals by sopranos and countertenors that have gained great popularity over the last few decades. If anything, some of the arias here even exceed the countertenors' displays in terms of sheer virtuosity. They are not so much heroic tenors as, in some cases, angry tenors, and the arias are pretty thrilling. Sample "Fra l'ombre un lamp solo" from 's , or "Vil trofeo dun alma imbelle" from . These will demonstrate that , an increasingly popular figure, can handle anything these composers throw at him. They also suggest the fact that many of these works are almost totally obscure. There are pieces by , , and , but they serve to provide a bit of melodic relief between the real firecracker numbers. The Baroque ensemble has the heft to stand up to in the music, and conductor keeps everything together. This is a vocal display of a kind that has rarely been heard lately, and it was no surprise to see it on classical best-seller lists in the spring of 2023. ~ James Manheim