Paul McCreesh's Gabrieli Consort & Players form an even, ductile and very expressive ensemble: all qualities which are indispensable for anyone attempting Purcell's semi-opera King Arthur. No score has made it across the centuries between its composition and today in one piece. The soloists are eloquent, moving, spirited... You get the impression they'd be irresistible on stage, so precisely and closely do they listen to one another. The voices, which render the lines realistically, remind us that this late-17th century genre married speech to song. And the text of the libretto, which was published before Purcell's work, is a guide to the musical restoration of the score, which was scattered across many different and often-doubtful sources. Written to make the 25th anniversary of the coronation of Charles II, the work tells the story of the mythical birth of the Kingdom of England. The theatrical intuition and musical intelligence of Paul McCreesh's group, which are the fruit of a long apprenticeship in this repertoire, have given birth to a new and very accomplished version of King Arthur, which brings a new level of coherence to the work. The masque, this English total spectacle, characteristic of courtly entertainments, certainly deserved the sustained attention of veteran musicians. The aria Hither This Way (Act II) by soprano Carolyn Sampson as the sprite Philadel is filled with a delicious malice. And bass-baritone Ashley Riches's Cold Genius is filled with a breathtaking humanity. Don't delay: hear it today! © Elsa Siffert/Qobuz