Jaroussky's rapid passagework in quick heroic arias is precise...but the outstanding moments are slow arias that could have been tailor-made for Jaroussky's sweetly graceful melodic singing...Marcon and the Venice Baroque Orchestra produce admirable sentimental finesse or gutsy brilliance as required.

Does Jaroussky's sweet soprano capture the elemental intensity of a real castrato? We will never quite know, but seven world premiere aria recordings here expand our understanding of Porpora's skill.

I’d be surprised if Farinelli’s voice was any more astonishing than the countertenor Philippe Jaroussky...The Venice Baroque Orchestra supplies zesty backing

Jaroussky is one of today’s sweetest-toned counter tenors, and though the voice is rather smaller than Farinelli’s must have been, there is nothing half- hearted about this disc...This is a treat of unheard arias (with seven world premiere recordings), even for those of us sometimes resistant to the charms of the falsettist.