Xavier Sabata delves into the darker side of Handel with this tribute to the composer’s scoundrels, miscreants and rebels – the so-called “Bad Guys” often neglected in favour of the heroes and their chivalrous effusions. The Spanish countertenor’s glossy voice isn’t an obvious embodiment of pure evil, but then neither are these complex characters, and Sabata brings out their ambiguities nicely.

Vengeful arias like Egeo’s Voglio stragi (from the seldom heard Teseo) are forcefully sung, but it’s in reflective, melodious mode, as in the same character’s striking Serenatevi, o luce belle, that Sabata is at his most expressive and interesting. His mellifluous sound is underpinned by a wheedling, insistent quality, perfect for a master manipulator, and while the voice is full of sweetness, he’s prepared to employ a few dark and sinister colours – the snarling conclusion to Polinesso’s Se l’inganno sortisce felice (from Ariodante) is especially menacing.

Though at times crisper diction and more emphatic delivery might be welcome, Sabata’s tone is firm and focused, and his timbre is attractive if not staggeringly distinctive. He’s a persuasive advocate for these arias, many of which are rarely performed in isolation. Tolomeo’s...