The quietly progressing Telemann renaissance means that nowadays admirers are quick to praise the finesse of his best instrumental compositions and enthuse about his clear influence on friends Handel and Bach. Meanwhile, interest in Telemann’s operas has lagged behind. There might be perfectly sensible reasons for this, such as the frequent polyglot nature of peculiar operas that contain plenty of musical attractions but lack the psychological potency of Handel, the flamboyance of Vivaldi or the imagination of Rameau. However, they deserve the thumbnail introduction provided by Nuria Rial’s delightful performances of extracts from five different operas, which range from early Leipzig works (Germanicus and Der unglückliche Alcmeon) to operas written later on for Hamburg’s important Gänsemarkt Theatre (Der geduldige Sokrates and Emma und Eginhard).

The diverse programme is selected shrewdly. ‘Komm o Schlaf’ (Germanicus), with plucked basso continuo, is a beguiling sleep aria ideal for Rial’s intimate soft singing; a pair of recorders make a tender contribution to ‘Mir schmeichelt die Hoffnung’ (Der geduldige Sokrates). Rial impresses in impassioned outbursts such as the heroine’s anguished accompanied recitative and eloquent lament ‘Erscheine bald du Irrlicht meiner Sinne’ (Emma und Eginhard), and virtuoso recorder solos make a dazzling impact in ‘Mich tröstet die Hoffnung’ (Der geduldige Sokrates). The Basle Chamber Orchestra’s director Julia Schröder demonstrates her skills as soloist in two contrasting violin concertos that each served as an opera overture, and she plays an expressive dialogue with Rial during ‘Ach was für Qual und Schmerz’ (Der unglückliche Alcmeon). My sole criticism is the substandard editing of the booklet.