Benjamin Britten was one of the most important composers of the 20th century, and unlike some, his works have retained their popularity. Which makes it somewhat surprising that his evening-length ballet The Prince of the Pagodas, by far his longest purely orchestral score, is hardly ever mounted let alone heard on disc (a quick trawl throws up Britten’s own recording for Decca from 1957 and Oliver Knussen’s fine account for the erstwhile Virgin label back in 1990).

Enter Kahchun Wong, the Singapore-born principal conductor and artistic advisor of Manchester’s Hallé, who took over the reins from Sir Mark Elder earlier this year. The orchestra has an enviable track record both at home and on disc, with Elder following in the footsteps of Sir John Barbirolli in championing British composers like Elgar and Vaughan Williams. Britten’s ballet is thus an inspired choice for Wong’s first recording on the orchestra’s in-house label. By playing into the composer’s East-West enthusiasms, Wong’s reputation in late-Romantic and early 20th-century expressionism and impressionism makes for a frequently revelatory reading.

“As a Southeast Asian influenced by diverse folk traditions and...