HENRY PURCELL (1659-1695)

Dido and Aeneas

69:49

An opera in three acts

Libretto by Nahum Tate

1

Overture

2:04

Act One

2

'Shake the cloud from off your brow'

1:08

Belinda, Chorus

3

'Ah! Belinda I am prest with torment' - Air

6:40

Dido

4

'Grief increases by concealing'

0:50

Belinda, Dido, Chorus

5

'Whence could so much virtue spring?'

4:22

Dido, Belinda, Second Woman, Chorus

6

'See, your royal guest appears'

0:53

Belinda, Aeneas, Dido, Chorus

7

'Cupid only throws the dart'

0:40

Chorus

8

'If not for mine, for Empire's sake' - 'Pursue they conquest, Love'

1:09

Aeneas, Belinda

9

Gittars Chacony

2:32

10

'To the hills and vales'

1:03

Chorus

11

Triumphing Dance

1:26

Act Two

12

Prelude - 'Wayward sisters' - 'Harms our delight'

2:12

Sorceress, Witches

13

'The Queen of Carthage' - 'Ho ho ho!'

0:40

Sorceress, Chorus

14

'Ruin'd 'ere the set of sun?' - 'Ho ho ho!'

2:26

Witches, Sorceress, Chorus

15

'In our deep vaulted cell the charm we'll prepare'

1:19

Chorus

16

Echo Dance of Furies

1:16

17

Ritornelle

0:50

18

'Thanks to these lonsome vales'

2:59

Belinda, Chorus

19

Gittars Passacaille

3:05

20

'Oft she visits this lone mountain'

1:47

Second Woman

21

'Behold, upon my bending spear' - 'Haste, haste to town'

1:22

Aeneas, Belinda, Chorus, Dido

22

'Stay, Prince, and hear great Jove's command'

2:38

Spirit, Aeneas

23

'Then since our charms have sped' - The Groves' Dance

1:31

Chorus

Act Three

24

Prelude - 'Come away, fellow sailors' - The Sailors' Dance

2:17

First Sailor, Chorus

25

'See the flags and streamers curling'

1:02

Sorceress, Witches

26

'Our next motion'

1:16

Sorceress, Chorus

27

The Witches' Dance

1:22

28

Almand - 'Your counsel all is urg'd in vain'

7:47

Dido, Belinda, Aeneas

29

'Great minds against themselves conspire'

1:00

Chorus

30

'Thy hand, Belinda, darkness shades me' - 'When I am laid in earth'

5:05

Dido

31

'With drooping wings ye Cupids come'

4:51

Chorus

Sarah Connolly mezzo-soprano - Dido

Gerald Finley baritone - Aeneas

Lucy Crowe soprano - Belinda

Patricia Bardon mezzo-soprano - Sorceress

William Purefoy counter-tenor - Spirit

Sarah Tynan soprano - Second Woman

John Mark Ainsley tenor - Sailor

Carys Lane soprano - First Witch and Chorus

Rebecca Outram soprano - Second Witch and Chorus

Elizabeth Kenny

Steven Devine

23-25 June 2008