Belshazzar

"The orchestra ... bring enthusiasm, but not roughness, and pleasing dulcification as the music requires ... Nitocris is sung by Rosemary Joshua, whose voice sounds fresh and who has the flexibility necessary for the role ... Allan Clayton deals with it [Belshazzar] in accordance with its spirit, negotiating cleanly the runs in the voice part ... The 26 voices of the choir pour out a grand sound, well integrated".

"[Clayton's] characterisation astutely descends from carefree charm to self-destructive sneering ... sweetly compassionate singing from Iestyn Davies ... Hulcup is ideally authoritative and articulate as the Persian monarch Cyrus ... The choir of Les Arts Florissants acquit themselves with full honours in Handel's imaginative dramatic narrative choruses ... Christie presents a genuinely comparable alternative that has a few small disadvantages but some considerable theatrical merits".