Delphine Galou, Accademia Bizantina & Ottavio Dantone - Agitata (2017) [CD Rip]

French contralto Delphine Galou has gained attention in opera performances and now with this debut recital album, covers a variety of Italian Baroque music. Much of it is sacred in one way or another, making the biker jacket on the cover just a bit overindulgent for the always innovative Alpha label. But the voice is worth the price of admission in itself: silky and smooth in the lower register, with a metallic edge that sparks into fire higher up. The opening pair of arias devoted to the inarguably agitata biblical figure of Judith displays the latter side of Galou's voice, but delve into the sacred solo cantatas later in the program for the strikingly intimate low tones in her singing that really grab your attention. Sample "Chi pianger non sà," from Giuseppe Torelli's Lumi dolenti lumi. Torelli is known for his trumpet concerto and not for much else, certainly not for sacred music, and this is the other major attraction of Agitata: Galou and Accademia Bizantina leader Ottavio Dantone have unearthed some fabulous and hitherto obscure pieces like O spiritus angelici by the very seldom performed Giovanni Battista Brevi (ca. 1650-ca. 1725). Despite the album's title, most of the tracks have a calm, reverential mood rather than one that is agitata. Unusual in several respects and highly recommended. -- James Manheim