Matthew Rose's protean instrument may lack the full-bodied glamour of, say, Ildebrando D'Arcangelo's, and his Italian, albeit extremely proficient, sports a noticeable English accent. Happily, his artistry, informed alike by musical and dramatic flair, is every bit the programme's equal, and the playing by Arcangelo is unfailingly fresh, lively and stylish.

Like Benucci, Rose is deft and nimble in patter while retaining a true centre to his tone, as in a brace of arias from Soler's sensationally successful Una cosa rara. His Italian words are always clear and well pointed.

Although Rose is described as a baritone on the cover, he is more of a high bass, ideal for Benucci’s roles, which included serio parts as well as buffo ones...If his Italian is not always idiomatic, his words are clear and his singing is full of character, while Cohen’s period band shines in the overtures to Paisiello’s Il re Teodoro in Venezia and Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Figaro.