It’s a brave soprano who starts a recital with a pair of the most demanding of Verdi’s numbers...Richardson screws her courage to the sticking point and tackles both with a proper sense of style: the superhuman breath control of the ‘Pace’ and the effortless move from lyric to coloratura in La traviata...The soft singing at the end [of the Anna Bolena aria] has real class.

The final scene from Madama Butterfly is remarkably effective, partly down to Richardson’s stage experience but also to the outstanding playing of the Sinfonia of London under John Wilson, who really lands the orchestral punches...She certainly pulled out all the plums, and anyone who has enjoyed her performances should be encouraged to investigate this album.

The disc represents a worthy celebration of her commitment to this repertoire. Her disciplined soprano makes a strong showing in ‘Pace, pace’, with excellent legato, an Italianate quality and plenty of juice to the tone...Wilson and his exceptional orchestra offer plenty of refined detail, and between them he and Richardson have judged tempos astutely.