Nicola Porpora (1686-1768) was the son of a Neapolitan bookseller and became one of the most celebrated Italian opera composers and singing teachers of the 18th century. Towards the end of his life he reputedly taught (or at least encouraged) the young Joseph Haydn. Nowadays he is probably most remembered as the music director and principal composer of London’s Opera of the Nobility, which ran opera seasons in competition against Handel during the mid-1730s.

A dedicated revival of Porpora’s stage music by first-class performers is long overdue and badly needed, but until then this collection of four cantatas for soprano and a small group of instrumentalists gives us a glimpse of the composer’s merits. Or sì m’avveggio features a concertante cello part in addition to the basso continuo accompaniment, and is neatly executed by Auser Musici’s cellist Alessandro Palmeri. Elena Cecchi Fedi has a powerful, ripe voice but keeps her vibrato bridled when necessary, and does a good job of communicating the poetry. Porpora’s music is expertly crafted but I prefer the brighter and more charismatic Credi mi pur che t’amo (completed at Rome, 1712), which opens with a charming concerto grosso-style sinfonia, and concludes with a lovely lilting aria.

Già la notte s’avvicina is one of 12 chamber cantatas (“Opus 1”) published in London in 1735 at the expense of the Prince of Wales: it does not show the expressive and emotional authority that Handel’s contemporary music so often does but Porpora’s music is attractive and articulate. The well balanced programme concludes with Or che d’orrido verno, which features some fine flute-playing from the group’s director Carlo Ipata, although sometimes I wondered what it would be like to hear some of the limpid melodic lines in the lovely aria “Lungi dal ben che s’ama” sung by a lighter and sweeter voice.