Mozart’s concert aria Vorrei Spiegarvi, oh Dio, composed for the soprano Aloysia Weber, is one of the most challenging and beautiful in the repertoire. The singer calls out to God, telling him of her suffering and professing her unrequited love, at which point she ascends to an E, one of the highest notes across the entire operatic repertoire. How, then, does Sabine Devieilhe tackle this challenge?

Listening to the recording, you’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s actually no challenge, considering the ease with which Devieilhe sings. Her top notes bloom with full and free – but never loose  – vibrato. Her tone is so beautiful, and her intonation so perfect, that her voice needs to be heard to be believed. Devieilhe’s coloratura is acrobatic without seeming laboured, sparkling like vocal fireworks in the fiendishly difficult Der Hölle Rache from Die Zauberflöte. But this is not to say she’s incapable of delivering profound simplicity: her interpretation of the song ‘Dans un bois solitaire’ is pure, unadorned beauty. The ensemble Pygmalion under Raphaël Pichon deserve a mention for their energetic delivery of the score.

Here is a brilliant recording of a fine young singer, from whom I can’t wait to hear more.

Alexandra Mathew