‘Most of these singers are accomplished, but the male soprano Paolo Lopez as Cupid is truly exceptional. The sound is good and the music is well-crafted with some echoes of Monteverdi's Poppea’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘There's a freshness of invention in these early operas which is still immediately attractive today … musically there's much to appeal … this is a performance which invites sustained listening. Partly it's the sheer variety of voices and moods which helps conjure up the action in the theatre of the mind, partly it's to do with Cesti's powerful recitative and arioso, but in large measure it is to do with the variety of pacing, careful characterisation and engaging singing from the cast under the direction of Carlo Ipata’ (International Record Review)

‘Perhaps Angela Hewitt's freshly minted, sharply honed interprestations will inspire recitalists to dust off these unsung treasures’ (Classics Today)

‘In terms of recording, performance, and production, another success for the Hewitt-Hyperion collaboration’ (MusicWeb International)

‘Hewitt is in excellent form throughout … well worth it, I'd say’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘Angela Hewitt, in one of her best recordings to date, has captured Chabrier's musical spirit perfectly’ (International Record Review)

‘As to Hewitt's performances, they are as affectionate, warm, lyrical and charming as one could wish, underlining but not exaggerating Chabrier's deliciously predictable unpredictability’ (Gramophone)

‘It is very fresh-face playing, bringing out, also, Chabrier's acknowledged debt to the French Baroque keyboard giants, while even Bach seems to hang over the gigue-like Scherzo-valse … wit and charm are in abundance’ (The Daily Telegraph)

‘If you don't know Chabrier's piano music, then this is an ideal selection of his best (and best-known) works played with exactly the right amount of tenderness, Gallic wit, verve, and—the most important ingredient of all—charm’ (Classic FM Magazine)

‘Hewitt is at her best here, teasing out the yearning harmonies and shy cadences with a persuasive rubato’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘Pianists have missed some treats by neglecting Chabrier’s piano music. Angela Hewitt plays this refreshing selection with the same poetry, elegance and dancing touch that made her other French discs for Hyperion so special. The ten Pièces pittoresques take pride of place: dominated by sunshine, delightfully frisky rhythms and an early French Impressionist haze. Fed up of grey skies? Buy this disc and it’s already spring’ (The Times)

‘This superbly-produced set of his complete melodies should be welcomed by all’ (Classics Today)