Close friends and frequent collaborators, soprano Nardus Williams and Dunedin Consort now go into the studio for the first time together for Williams’ debut solo recording. Handel’s Italian cantatas are rich with pathos, invention, and virtuosity, setting the stage for his later operas as well being masterpieces in their own right. The three in this survey—Armida Abbandonata HWV105, Ero e Leandro HWV150, Tra le fiamme HWV170— tell stories that blend myth, magic, and humanity. After highly-acclaimed recordings of Handel’s English works, this disc will be John Butt and Dunedin Consort’s first trip to Handel’s Italy.