Album: Anna Bonitatibus, Haydn: La Infideltà Costante (Sony Classical)

As Kapellmeister to the Hungarian Prince Esterházy for nearly 30 years, the bulk of Haydn's operatic output was composed in line with the family's tastes – which even entailed his adding new arias to others' operas, such as "Sono Alcina, e sono ancora" for Gazzaniga's L'isola di Alcina, included here, to emphasise the heroine's purity.

Anna Bonitatibus offers exemplary interpretations throughout, and even renders the apocalyptic prospect of Orlando paladino attractive; but it's the haughtiness of "Ho un tumore in un ginocchio" that is most entertaining, the heroine's bogus sickness suggested by the dainty tunefulness with which she feigns a coughing fit.

Download this: "Ho un tumore in un ginocchio", "Dove fuggo"