Around the year 1600, a group of Florentine aristocrats, inspired by ancient Greek drama, gave birth to opera. It was intended to move and glorify human passions in such a strong way that the spectator's soul would be cleansed of these passions in a process that Aristotle called 'catharsis'. Xavier Sabata, in his third solo album for Aparté, grasps the cathartic mettle.

Sabata has rapidly established a reputation as one of the leading countertenors of his generation. Born in Avià, Catalonia, he trained as an actor at Barcelona’s Institut del Teatre, perfecting his vocal technique at the Escola Superior de Musica Catalunya and at the Musikhochschule, Karlsruhe, where his teachers were Hartmut Höll and Mitsuko Shirai. After early successes working with William Christie and Les Arts Florissants, he now also appears with such ensembles as Europa Galante and Collegium 1704 with conductors such as Fabio Biondi, René Jacobs, Jordi Savall, Fabio Bonizzoni, Ivor Bolton, Riccardo Minasi and Harry Bicket.

The Greek conductor George Petrou studied piano in Athens and at the RCM and RAM in London. He has gradually turned to conducting and is establishing a flourishing international career. He is the artistic director of the renowned Athens-based orchestra Armonia Atenea, with which he tours and records extensively, performing both on period or modern instruments.

“[Sabata] has a rich and glorious tone, seemingly-limitless breath control and a formidable dramatic sense, all of which are fully deployed here.” - Early Music Review, December 2014 (AP093)

“Matchless, and highly recommended.” - The Guardian, 6 February 2013 ***** (AP048)