[Domingo] sounds entirely at home in his new vocal category; his voice now fibrous in quality, he is also engaged dramatically...Netrebko's soprano has expanded to embrace the stirring warrior-maiden possibilities of the title-role...Meli's healthy and characteristically Italianate tenor creates a credibly wark but volatile Carlo...Carignani paces the score skilfully.

Netrebko's upper range delivers operatic thrills (particularly once she's warmed up), though her more dramatically vivid treatment of Joan's more introspective moments make you eager for her to explore better-known Verdi.

[Netrebko] In her entrance recitative and aria, her assertive manner, rich middle range and tonal amplitude immediately validate her as a warrior maiden and as an authentic Verdi soprano.

James Levine's classic recording with Caballé, Domingo & Milnes (1972) still takes some beating for Verdi's fanciful treatment of the 'Maid of Orleans', but I did warm to last year's maverick newcomer - Anna Netrebko offers more thrills than spills in the title-role and Francesco Meli sings with full-throated ardour as Carlo VII, whilst Giacomo is to my mind Placido Domingo's most successful baritone role to date.

Netrebko is on fire (no pun intended) as Giovanna, singing with her customary passion but also with more technical security in the role’s many florid passages and exposed top notes than she’s brought to other Verdi projects...Domingo is absolutely riveting as her father, a role which to my ear suits him far better than some of his other excursions into baritone territory.

[Netrebko] will be the deal breaker. This greatly talented but infuriatingly erratic Russian soprano runs true to form, being blowsily approximate and all over the place in the early scenes...before striking form in the second act, where she produces passages both thrilling and beautiful, graced by floated pianissimos to rival Caballé’s and underpinned by a wholehearted exuberance.