A new release from Aparté offers a mix of music from the Baroque period, including concertos by Antonio Vivaldi, opera arias, Venetian-style arias featuring tenor Zachary Wilder, and a collection of anonymous ballads reconstructed by Olivier Fourés. Among the highlights is the world premiere recording of Cantata n°2 by Filippo Finazzi, a castrato and composer who briefly lived in Venice before gaining fame across Europe. This recording provides a rare glimpse into his musical legacy. On the instrumental side, the performance shines, largely due to the virtuosic skills of Ophélie Gaillard. In the Concerto RV 418, her playing displays sharp articulation and technical brilliance in the Allegro sections, contrasting with a more reflective mood in the central movement. The Largo from the Concerto RV 407 showcases Gaillard's 1737 Francesco Goffriller cello, producing a dark and rich sound that is both expressive and weightless. The interplay between Gaillard and violinist Pablo Valetti in the Concerto RV 546 is particularly noteworthy, with the two soloists responding to each other or layering their performances with consistent skill. The Ensemble Pulcinella provides strong rhythmic support, especially in the lively Concerto « Conca » RV 163. Fourés’ ballads are performed with appropriate folk-like color, enhanced by percussion, without veering into overly stylized interpretations. However, the album has some shortcomings, particularly in the vocal performance by Zoltan Darago. His countertenor voice has a fresh timbre and elegant phrasing, but it also has uneven registers, a certain sharpness, and occasional hesitancy in delivery. In "Se nemico tu sei" from La Candace, his voice becomes strained during rapid intervals, and the high register loses stability. This issue is also evident in "Il destin che mi sovrasta" from Orlando finto pazzo, where his phrasing stumbles, as if his breath struggles to sustain the Vivaldi melodies. The Cantata by Finazzi, though better conducted, still presents challenges for Darago, particularly in the final aria, which feels somewhat labored compared to the refined instrumental accompaniment.