This is one of the most impressive pieces of programming I have experienced in a long time. Not only do Ian Page and his Classical Opera Company take us chronologically from Mozart’s first opera (Apollo et Hyacinthus, which starts with an “A”) to his last (Die Zauberflöte, which has a prominent “Z”), with samples from almost every opera composed in between, but they also show us an astonishing range of dramatic situations, convey an idea of how Mozart’s musical language changes between 1767 and 1791, and cleverly mix well known favourites with relative obscurities, unpredictable choices from famous operas, and some dramatic set-piece ensembles seldom heard out of context.

These young singers and a period-instrument orchestra – packed with many of the wisest practitioners in the business – deliver uniformly superb interpretations. The band is by turns boldly brilliant or sweetly evocative according to the dramatic context, and the big cast (five sopranos share the spoils) is excellent. Matthew Rose’s powerful bass voice is ideal for the soothsayer Colas’s magnificent short aria from Bastien und Bastienne, but also conjures up a menacing “Se vuol ballare”; Klara Ek’s cavatina “Geme la tortorella” (La finta giardiniera) is perfectly sung and sensitively supported by the strings; Anthony Robson contributes a beautiful oboe solo to Susan Gritton’s “Ruhe sanft” but also deserves praise for his nifty turn on the mandolin in “Deh vieni alla finestra”.

The Classical Opera Company deserves enormous credit for an auspicious debut recording of intelligence, finesse and quality. It would be cause for celebration if this could be followed up with a complete opera recording – Ascanio in Alba and La finta giardiniera both await first-class period-instrument recordings.