Decca is proud to announce the debut solo recording from soprano Danielle de Niese who became a star overnight after her stunning performance as Cleopatra in Handel's Giulio Cesare at Glyndebourne in 2005. She will reprise her signature role in the United States at the Chicago Lyric Opera beginning in early November 2007. On this album, Danielle continues to explore her love of Handel's vocal music, singing a selection of arias which perfectly showcase her wide dramatic range, charisma and fresh vocal qualities. Revered Handel specialist William Christie joins her to conduct the award-winning period orchestra Les Arts Florissants. The disc contains pieces from both famous and lesser-known works. These include Giulio Cesare, Rinaldo, Semele, Teseo and Amadigi, as well as an aria from the rarely performed oratorio Apollo e Dafne. At the age of 19, Danielle was the youngest-ever member of the Met's Young Artist Program and made her debut there as Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro (with Bartoli, Fleming and Terfel). Since then, her career rise has been meteoric and she has gained a reputation as an unparalleled singing actress, particularly in the Baroque repertoire where she has performed with many of its great exponents including Minkowski, Rousset and Christie.Danielle de Niese, who had her own TV show in Los Angeles when she was still a teenager, has grown into a lovely, alluring, gifted opera singer. The voice is substantial, her agility, impressive, her vibrato is warm and engaging. Hers is not a white, early-music sound, but she has the technique for all of early music's tricks: easy octave leaps, smooth legato backed up by excellent breath control, skill in rapid divisions sung without aspirates. She lacks the ability to sing absolute pianissimo--to spin a line in an ethereal way (as in otherwise fine versions of "Lascia ch'io pianga" and "Piangero..."). Her presence as a "performer" is vivid and intelligent. Semele's "Endless pleasure, endless love" is coquettish but warm; "Dolce riposo" from Teseo has just the right sense of desire; "Tornami a vagheggiar" from Alcina is splendid in its virtuosity. The famous "Da tempeste" from Giulio Cesare shows her at her best--here is Cleopatra finally feeling as if she's back in control. William Christie leads Les Arts Florissants in classy but spunky readings. --Robert Levine
