Joseph Haydn named him as ‘one of the greatest geniuses that I have ever known’: the Mozart contemporary Joseph Martin Kraus is finally regaining his place in the classical music pantheon, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Werner Ehrhardt who for many years has promoted his music. On this new SACD the exceptional young soprano Simone Kermes performs these four cantatas, fascinating solo dramas en miniature, with élan. Renowned for her breathtaking coloratura, Kermes uses her virtuosiy to great effect in these forgotten jewels of the classical repertoire. In the tradition of the great vocal virtuosi of the time, Simone Kermes has enriched the cantatas with her own cadenzas. This disc includes world première recordings.