This program is divided evenly between sacred and secular--and between sopranos Emma Kirkby and Evelyn Tubb, two of the finest Monteverdi singers alive. Each singer gets one sacred and one secular solo (the secular items are the "Lamento d"Arianna," done by Kirkby, and Penelope"s lament from the opera Il Ritorno d"Ulisse, grippingly sung by Tubb); the rest of the program is a selection of madrigals and motets for two high voices. These ladies capture the gentle, glowing reverence of "O bone Jesu" as beautifully as they do the spirited coloratura brilliance of "O come sei gentile" and the cheerful simplicity of "Chiome d"oro"; their added ornaments are superb throughout. In short, this is as delightful a Monteverdi disc as you"ll find anywhere. --Matthew Westphal