Soprano Núria Rial and the Swiss early music ensemble Les Cornets Noirs transported the audience at Laeiszhalle into the sound world of 17th-century Northern Italy.

The carefully curated program focused on early Italian sacred music, showcasing Rial’s uniquely weightless and fluid vocal quality. Her natural, effortless singing gave each piece a distinctive texture, while the instrumental interludes seamlessly complemented the vocal performance, with the lute’s delicate filigree, the organ’s resonant warmth, the cornett’s expressive clarity, and the cello’s rich, grounding presence, together shaping a full and immersive multi-layered soundscape.

Rial’s voice is pure and unforced, allowing the melodies to unfold organically as if she were simply guiding them rather than producing them. The opening piece, “Ave mundi spes Maria” by Alessandro Grandi, set a reverent and intimate tone. Rial’s approach was sincere and luminous, avoiding any hint of vocal showmanship. Instead, her naturally warm timbre conveyed a heartfelt sense of devotion. The delicate embellishments she introduced felt effortless, weaving seamlessly into the rich textures provided by the two outstanding cornett soloists. This balance between voice and instrumental accompaniment created an atmosphere of both solemnity and tenderness.

A contrast in character came with “O gloriosa Domina” by Ignatio Donati. This piece carried a grander, more stately presence, yet clarity and purity were always to the fore in Rial’s delivery. She shaped the dynamic contours of the melody with care, especially in the ascending lines which expanded in her voice with an almost ethereal glow. Without resorting to volume, she managed by judicious resonance and phrasing a gradual intensity and giving the sense of something cosmically great.

One of the most unforgettable performances in the first half was “Pulchra es” by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. Unlike his labyrinthine polyphonic masses, this motet unwound with grace and simplicity, as if some holy icon were gradually being revealed. Rial’s voice was transparent and without weight, a thread seamlessly sewn into the fabric, through which the interwoven lines could grow naturally. The chant-like features of the music gave each phrase a poetic fluidity—repetitive yet ever-shifting, like a sacred melody constantly renewed with each breath. Her approach underscored the inherent beauty of the composition, creating a deeply contemplative experience for the audience.

During the second half, in Francesca Caccini’s “O Maria dolce”, Rial demonstrated her exceptional ability to convey warmth and intimacy. Caccini’s music, often lyrical and expressive, requires a singer who can balance tenderness with technical precision. Rial’s long, silken phrases were effortlessly pure and perfectly grasped the devotion and gentleness of the piece. Her tone was particularly soft and glowing in this work, placing great emphasis on the maternal, human side of the Virgin Mary. This interpretation wrapped the audience in a sense of closeness, offering them a moment for personal reflection and solace.

The highlight of the evening had to be the motet “O Dilectissime Jesu” by Giovanni Legrenzi. Dramatically contoured, richly colored, almost operatic in scope, this deeply expressive motet seemed to call for no less than ease with dynamic shifts, strength with delicacy of interpretation. But it was, above all, the interplay of vocal and instrumental lines-an underlying, gradually building tension leading up to a powerful moment of devotion-that Rial never forced her sound. Instead, she managed a bright clarity, allowing the music’s native drama to unspool without undue pressure. The spontaneous-sounding flashes of ornamentation reinforced the expressive truthfulness with which she seemed to deliver virtually in every phrase.

Throughout the recital, the voice of Rial flowed as freely as water—untroubled, unforced, and exceedingly communicative. Joining forces with Les Cornets Noirs, she made these early Baroque sacred pieces sound not only clear but also immediate, almost as new. She approached this repertoire with the lightest touch, interpreting them with a feeling of freshness and intimacy, humanly deep inside. Her most striking command has been that over the long phrasal elaboration, while deeply understanding every nuance for improvisation. Her poised yet relaxed stage manner left the Hamburg audience with an experience that was not just beautiful, but profoundly moving—an evening where divine music met the touch of humanity.