The vocal sensation everyone’s talking about – Russian soprano Julia Lezhneva – makes her Decca solo debut with a celebratory disc of motets from Vivaldi, Handel, Porpora and Mozart, partnered by one of the world’s leading early music ensembles, Il Giardino Armonico, conducted by Giovanni Antonini.

Praised for her “pure tone” (Opernwelt) and “flawless technique” (Guardian), Lezhneva’s career has skyrocketed since her brief but extraordinary appearance at the 2010 Classical BRIT Awards in London, at the invitation of her mentor, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. “Few young singers have been as widely celebrated so early in their careers as Kiri Te Kanawa’s protegé, the . . . Russian soprano Julia Lezhneva”, wrote The Independent. Dame Kiri recently added her voice to the critical consensus, observing that “from time to time a really outstanding talent appears and I believe that Julia Lezhneva is just that. The brilliance of her voice and technique are extremely impressive.”

Invitations to perform and record have come to Lezhneva from all corners, resulting in a large following. Her solo Rossini album charted in many European countries - it landed at No.1 in the French Classical Charts and won the soprano the 2012 Diapason d’or Award for 'Young Talent', Gramophone 'Editor’s Choice' and the German MDR 'CD of the Year'. “A new star is born”, hailed Die Welt and The Sunday Times stated: “Clearly a name to watch . . .”.