Here’s an engaging introduction to sparkling gems from Mozart’s operas...Devos’s agile soprano is both bright and menacing in the famous Queen of the Night set piece...The revelation here is the young mezzo Lea Desandre, who gives sparkling accounts of Cherubino’s music...The orchestra, under the very musical guidance of Laurence Equilbey, is wonderfully alert and stylish throughout.

Dubbed ‘a magical cabaret’ by conductor Laurence Equilbey, this is the album of a theatrical performance that, poignantly, was due to open in Paris in June... As a CD programme it has a random, bitty feel that left me simultaneously wanting more and less...If you can cope with this apparent arbitrariness, there is some classy singing on offer, finely supported by Equilbey’s lively period band.

There are worthwhile performances along the way. Florian Sempey’s Bird Catcher’s song is gracefully voiced; he proves a charmer with honeyed tone in the second verse of Giovanni’s serenade, and is strikingly ebullient in the Champagne Aria..Sandrine Piau provides two further highlights as the Countess in Figaro .

Highlights are Stanislas de Barbeyrac’s Tamino’s Portrait aria, Sandrine Piau in Countess Almaviva’s solos, and Soave sia il vento from Così, ravishingly sung by Piau, Léa Désandre and Florian Sempey. Now that is magic.