Britten Sinfonia is well known both for its original concert programming, and for working with its own choice of conductors and soloists, rather than having a music director or chief conductor.

Their concert at the Dome exemplified both these features by putting several 18th century works by Haydn and Mozart alongside two works by Igor Stravinsky based on literature of the same era, Hogarth's Rake's Progress and the story of Pulcinella.

The Sinfonia comprises versatile and experienced instrumentalists and its reputation ensures that leading musicians are keen to work with it; in this case the Canadian soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan. Each half of the concert opened with a Mozart overture and offered a vocal piece sandwiched between two orchestral works, and each part mixed early 20th century Stravinsky with the greats of the classical period.

Ms Hannigan's conducting was as clear, precise and expressive as her singing. Haydn's La Passione symphony lived up to its name and it was plain to hear why this was an important stage in the development of an artform later perfected by Beethoven.

In Stravinsky's Pulcinella Suite, she and the Sinfonia manipulated the complex rhythms deftly and convincingly to a triumphant finale.

Four stars