Purcell: King Arthur

King Arthur, John Dryden’s play set as a dramatic opera by Henry Purcell, was an early attempt at an historical King Arthur, in conflict with the Saxon King Oswald. Nevertheless, Dryden retained Arthur’s magician Merlin and added the evil Saxon sorcerer Osmond, allowing for spectacular magic displays such as the famous Frost Scene and the Act V masque, in which Merlin shows Arthur and Oswald a vision of a future united Britain.

The musical scenes in this complete concert performance are linked by a script devised by Richard Andrews, which conveys the essence of Dryden’s play.

A pre-concert talk, ‘The First Night of King Arthur‘, will be given by Professor Peter Holman at 4.45pm in the nearby United Reformed Church, Hadleigh (Market Place, Hadleigh).

Performers:
Rosamund Shelley, Stephen Varcoe readers
Philippa Hyde soprano
Archie Inns tenor
Stuart O’Hara bass
Psalmody
Essex Baroque Orchestra
Peter Holman director