If you wish to experience Venice but have no desire to join the thirty million tourists that cram themselves into its narrow alleyways, then look no further than this most pleasant opportunity to discover the city with Nuria Rial as your charming guide. Rial is joined by musicians from the group Artemandoline who joyfully and exuberantly push each other to their limits on this invigorating album. With this ensemble composed of plucked strings which satisfyingly pinch at the skin, mandolins, pizzicati strings, clavichords and some bowed strings, let your troubles be forgotten as you allow yourself to be seduced by the capricious charm of not only Vivaldi, but also Traetta, Galuppi, Manna, Conti, Arrigoni et al. Names which evoke the spirit of Venice as much as the vibrant pastas that feature on the menus of the many trattoria that pepper the town: bigoli, gargati, linguine, fettucine, tagliatelle, spaghettini… Nuria Rial’s fresh voice and the accompanying musicians’ skill work to pull off the amazing feat of reinvigorating a repertoire that many believed had been exhausted and on its last legs. We thank them warmly for it. © François Hudry/Qobuz