The trombones are much in evidence and the tam-tam has a field day, but Jérémie Rhorer keeps his excellent orchestra under control. The music for the soloists is well characterised…Karina Gauvin and Kate Aldrich, both excellent, have such similar voices that it’s hard to tell them apart, but of course they blend beautifully in their recognition duet…A warm recommendation, then.

The work’s chief dramatic role is that of Statira…wonderfully realized here by Kate Aldrich, who gives is an appropriately imposing stature. Karina Gauvin rises to the challenge of Olimpie, and their scenes together touch greatness…Rhorer keeps things moving effectively, with his period-instrument orchestra providing appropriate colours and the Flemish chorus on their mettle. Overall, the result is surely one of the most important Palazzetto Bru Zane operatic releases thus far.

Olimpie gets off to a confident start, and the thrills flare up every so often. Spontini marshals his forces with confidence, and the conductor here, Jérémie Rhorer, follows suit. The cast is very good if not quite excellent. A bit more dash, or even vulgarity, wouldn’t come amiss. Mezzo Kate Aldrich’s lively Statira comes the closest, and Karina Gauvin in the title role sings seductively if a little politely – Mathias Vidal’s Cassandre perhaps reflects the more graceful charms of the 1826 tenor, Nourrit, when we expect a more virile tone today.