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Purcell's The Fairy Queen

Lucie Skeaping explores Purcell's semi-opera, The Fairy Queen, based on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. With excerpts from each of the masques from various recordings.

Lucie Skeaping presents a programme exploring Purcell's semi-opera, The Fairy Queen, based on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Purcell did not set any of Shakespeare's original text, and instead added self-contained masques in each of the acts, which include some of Purcell's finest music. Lucie plays musical extracts from each of the masques from various recordings, directed by Ton Koopman, Roger Norrington, Harry Christophers and Nikolaus Harnoncourt.

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16 minutes

Last on

Sun 28 Aug 2011 00:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Henry Purcell

    Act 1, Overture from 'The Fairy Queen'

    Performers: The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Ton Koopman (conductor)

    • ERATO.
    • 4509-98507-2.

  • Henry Purcell

    Drunken poet scene from Act 1, 'The Fairy Queen'

    Performers: Francine van der Heijden (soprano), Catherine Bott (soprano), Michael Schopper (bass), The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Ton Koopman (conductor)

    • ERATO.
    • 4509-98507-2.

  • Henry Purcell

    Night / Mystery / Secrecy / Sleep scene from Act 2, 'The Fairy Queen'

    Performers: Gillian Fisher (soprano), Ann Murray (soprano), Michael Chance (counter-tenor), Michael George (bass), The Sixteen, Harry Christophers (conductor)

    • COLLINS CLASSICS.
    • 70132.

  • Henry Purcell

    Dialogue between Coridon and Mopsa, and Dance for the Haymakers, from Act 3, 'The Fairy Qu

    Performers: Mark Padmore (tenor), Richard Wistreich (bass), The London Classical Players, Roger Norrington (conductor)

    • EMI.
    • CDC 5 55234-2.

  • Henry Purcell

    Masque of Four Seasons from Act 4, 'The Fairy Queen'

    Performers: Barbara Bonney (soprano), Michael Chance (counter-tenor), Laurence Dale (tenor), Anthony Michaels-Moore (bass), Arnold Schoenberg Chorus, Vienna Concentus Musicus, Nikolaus Harnoncourt (conductor)

    • TELDEC.
    • 4509-97684-2.

  • Henry Purcell

    Thus the gloomy world from Act 5, 'The Fairy Queen'

    Performers: John Mark Ainsley (tenor), The Sixteen, Harry Christophers (conductor)

    • COLLINS CLASSICS.
    • 70132.

  • Henry Purcell

    See I obey / Turn thine eyes / My torch indeed from Act 5, 'The Fairy Queen'

    Performers: Els Bongers (soprano), Catherine Bott (soprano), Michael Schopper (bass), The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Ton Koopman (conductor)

    • ERATO.
    • 4509-98507-2.

  • Henry Purcell

    Chaconne: Dance for Chinese man and woman from Act 5, 'The Fairy Queen'

    Performers: The London Classical Players, Roger Norrington (conductor)

    • EMI.
    • CDC 5 55234-2.

Broadcasts

  • Sat 7 May 2011 13:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
  • Sun 28 Aug 2011 00:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

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