Released as part of Dame Kiri’s 70th birthday celebrations, this 6CD set is a representative tribute to a much-loved and exceptionally fine lyric soprano – taken from recordings made during those years when she was at the peak of her illustrious career (the early 80s through to the mid-90s). This well chosen set sticks to the repertoire in which she excels.

It ranges from imperative discs devoted to composers who celebrate the joys of the soprano voice – namely Mozart and Richard Strauss – through intimate song settings – a whole disc of Canteloube’s Auvergne settings – to Granados and Obradors, which still inform her recitals as those who heard the Dame during her recent Australian tour will attest.

In all of these discs Kiri is given admirable support from the label’s finest – from Jeffrey Tate through to Sir Georg Solti and the recently departed Sir Colin Davis. Having both Roger Vignoles and Solti as song accompanists is yet another luxury afforded her here.

Whilst she would record for other labels (crossover for EMI for example), this set represents the finest work in a long career and showcases those composers with which the Dame is most closely identified and celebrated. Her...