‘Beautifully performed’ (The New York Times)

‘Four top-class soloists in plaintive melodies, fizzing coloratura and touching duets. Academia Montis Regalis is highly regarded for its Baroque interpretations and plays with sophistication’ (Classic FM Magazine)

‘Singing of great beauty and conviction by Roberta Invernizzi … the playing of Academia Montis Regalis is equally responsive, its impassioned approach balanced and supported by their lively nuances and constant attention to the detailed shaping of every phrase … a performance that powerfully communicates the sensuous beauty, rich expressivity and dramatic inventiveness of Handel's early masterpiece’ (Goldberg)

‘The playing of Academia Montis Regalis under Alessandro de Marchi's assured direction is stylish, spirited and affecting … the continuo group is more modest, and more satisfying, than that employed by Emmanuelle Haïm … the recording is spacious yet with pleasing immediacy of impact’ (International Record Review)

‘A wonderfully inventive and exuberant work … Invernizzi's alluring voice is fluent in challenging virtuosity but sweetly pentitent as she rejects Aldrich's somewhat assertive 'Pleasure' … a high point is a quartet combining highly differentiated characters with almost Mozartean skill. Ornamentation and improvisation is highly stylish throughout, and orchestral support polished … altogether thoroughly enjoyable’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘Handel's exuberant first oratorio … its animated, thrilling score brings a delightful humanity to all the philosophical pondering … accomplished, responsive playing and the tempo is always smart. Elsewhere, Roberta Invernizzi's luscious-voiced Bellezza is the undisputed star, impressive in her many fiendish arias’ (The Times)

‘Handel's invention is consistently glorious … with her pure, pellucid timbre and acute response to the text, Roberta Invernizzi eloquently limns Beauty's journey from blithe, carpe diem heedlessness to the grave simplicity of her final prayer’ (The Daily Telegraph)

‘Handel's first oratorio … is also his most exquisite. The triumph of time and disillusion … bursts with youthful vitality and virtuosity as it blends a moral-religious allegory with some astute early psychology … Alessandro De Marchi energises his Academia Montis Regalis and some fine soloists into the perfect blend of Baroque dynamism and ethereal beauty’ (The Observer)

‘Yet another top quality Hyperion disc. Recommended with the utmost enthusiasm’ (CDReview)

‘A feast of early Handel and glorious singing. A musical delight from beginning to end. Unreservedly recommended’ (The Sunday Times)

‘lmpeccably sung’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘With first-rate casts and careful attention to Handel's original texts, King has blown the dust off some magnificent music’ (BBC Record Review)