this new studio recording offers not only musicologically scrupulous foundations but benefits from the period-instrument forces of Les Talens Lyriques, who are intent upon the drama contained within the Italian-born, French-resident composer’s austerely lyrical score...Rousset leads an interpretation that captures the work’s qualities of mystery and passion.

[Rebeka] Her evenly produced stream of sound and her complete involvement with the words she is singing make this performance a star turn. She uses a full dynamic range and colors her voice with imagination. Rousset’s conducting, like Rebeka’s singing, marries elegance and dramatic thrust. The well-balanced recording captures the orchestra’s transparent textures.

Marina Rebeka is magnificent as Julia...Rousset’s direction deserves the highest praise...Do not miss this riveting performance.

The most successful performance of all comes from Stanislas de Barbeyrac’s outstanding Licinius, his accurate and clean low tenor coupled with beauty of tone striking an ideal heroic stance...The orchestral playing by an augmented Les Talens Lyriques is thrillingly committed and executed under Christophe Rousset’s inspired direction, a statement of complete belief in the work.

This is the first time the work’s been recorded on period instruments (and with players well-versed in French Baroque style), and what a difference it makes...The uniformly superb cast are entirely at one with Rousset's approach, resisting the temptation to wallow in Spontini’s long lines and ensuring that text is always front-and-centre: this is an interpretation that looks back to the legacy of Gluck rather than forward to French Verdi and even Wagner.

Rousset’s thrilling performance with the period instruments of Les Talens Lyriques certainly brings out the richness of Spontini’s score, while as Julia, the vestal virgin of the title, Marina Rebeka’s dramatic commitment seems total.