''King Arthur, or The British Worthy'' (Z. 628), is a

semi-opera The terms "semi-opera", "dramatic opera" and "English opera" were all applied to Restoration entertainments that combined spoken plays with masque-like episodes employing singing and dancing characters. They usually included machines in the manne ...

in five acts with music by

Henry Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer. Purcell's style of Baroque music was uniquely English, although it incorporated Italian and French elements. Generally considered among the greatest E ...

and a

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

John Dryden '' John Dryden (; – ) was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who in 1668 was appointed England's first Poet Laureate. He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the per ...

. It was first performed at the

Queen's Theatre, Dorset Garden The Dorset Garden Theatre in London, built in 1671, was in its early years also known as the Duke of York's Theatre, or the Duke's Theatre. In 1685, King Charles II died and his brother, the Duke of York, was crowned as James II. When the D ...

, London, in late May or early June 1691. The plot is based on the battles between

King Arthur King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as a ...

Britons British people or Britons, also known colloquially as Brits, are the citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown dependencies.: British nationality law governs mod ...

and the

Saxons The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...

, rather than the legends of

Camelot Camelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and, since the Lancelot-Grail cycle, eventually came to be described as the ...

(although

Merlin Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and le ...

does make an appearance). It is a

Restoration spectacular The Restoration spectacular was a type of theatre production of the late 17th-century Restoration period that is defined by the amount of money, time, sets, and performers required to produce. These productions attracted and enticed audiences w ...

, including such supernatural characters as

Cupid In classical mythology, Cupid (Latin Cupīdō , meaning "passionate desire") is the god of desire, lust, erotic love, attraction and affection. He is often portrayed as the son of the love goddess Venus (mythology), Venus and the god of war Mar ...

and

Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never fa ...

plus references to the Germanic gods of the Saxons,

Woden Odin (; from non, Óðinn, ) is a widely revered Æsir, god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about him, associates him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, v ...

Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred groves ...

, and

Freya In Norse paganism, Freyja (Old Norse "(the) Lady") is a goddess associated with love, beauty, fertility, sex, war, gold, and seiðr (magic for seeing and influencing the future). Freyja is the owner of the necklace Brísingamen, rides a chario ...

. The tale centres on Arthur's endeavours to recover his fiancée, the blind Cornish Princess Emmeline, who has been abducted by his arch-enemy, the Saxon King Oswald of

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

. ''King Arthur'' is a "dramatick opera" or

: the principal characters do not sing, except if they are supernatural, pastoral or, in the case of

Comus In Greek mythology, Comus (; grc, Κῶμος, ''Kōmos'') is the god of festivity, revels and nocturnal dalliances. He is a son and a cup-bearer of the god Dionysus. He was represented as a winged youth or a child-like satyr and represents ana ...

and the popular ''Your hay it is mow'd'', drunk. Secondary characters sing to them, usually as

diegetic Diegesis (; from the Greek from , "to narrate") is a style of fiction storytelling that presents an interior view of a world in which: # Details about the world itself and the experiences of its characters are revealed explicitly through narra ...

entertainment, but in Act 4 and parts of Act 2, as supernatural beckonings. The singing in Act 1 is religious observance by the Saxons, ending with their heroic afterlife in

Valhalla In Norse mythology Valhalla (;) is the anglicised name for non, Valhǫll ("hall of the slain").Orchard (1997:171–172) It is described as a majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god Odin. Half of those who die in combat e ...

. The protagonists are actors, as a great deal of ''King Arthur'' consists of spoken text. This was normal practice in 17th century English opera. ''King Arthur'' contains some of Purcell's most lyrical music, using adventurous harmonies for the day.

Composition

Dryden probably wrote the original libretto for ''King Arthur'' in 1684 to mark the 25th anniversary of King Charles II's

Restoration Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to: * Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage ** Audio restoration ** Film restoration ** Image restoration ** Textile restoration * Restoration ecology ...

the following year. The original text of ''King Arthur'' no longer exists but it was to be in three acts with an

allegorical As a literary device or artistic form, an allegory is a narrative or visual representation in which a character, place, or event can be interpreted to represent a hidden meaning with moral or political significance. Authors have used allegory th ...

prologue. For unknown reasons Dryden abandoned his intention to have the whole work set to music and developed the prologue into another opera, ''

Albion and Albanius ''Albion and Albanius'' is an opera, closely resembling a French ''tragédie en musique'', by Louis Grabu with an English libretto by John Dryden. The words were written by Dryden in 1680. It was initially intended as a prologue to his opera ' ...

'', a collaboration with the Catalan composer

Louis Grabu Louis Grabu, Grabut, Grabue, or Grebus (fl. 1665 – 1690, died after 1693) was a Catalan-born, French-trained composer and violinist who was mainly active in England. While he was probably born in Catalonia – he was later referred to as 'Lo ...

. However, Charles II died in February 1685 and ''Albion and Albanius'' was first inauspiciously performed in June 1685 during the Monmouth Rebellion. It was a failure and Dryden shelved any plans he had for the rest of the ''King Arthur'' libretto.Holman p.204 In the meantime, England entered a turbulent period in its history. After the Catholic James II took the throne, Dryden too converted to Catholicism. When the Protestant William III overthrew James in the

Glorious Revolution The Glorious Revolution; gd, Rèabhlaid Ghlòrmhor; cy, Chwyldro Gogoneddus , also known as the ''Glorieuze Overtocht'' or ''Glorious Crossing'' in the Netherlands, is the sequence of events leading to the deposition of King James II and ...

in 1688, Dryden refused to renounce his faith and so lost his job as

poet laureate A poet laureate (plural: poets laureate) is a poet officially appointed by a government or conferring institution, typically expected to compose poems for special events and occasions. Albertino Mussato of Padua and Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) ...

to his rival

Thomas Shadwell Thomas Shadwell ( – 19 November 1692) was an English poet and playwright who was appointed Poet Laureate in 1689. Life Shadwell was born at either Bromehill Farm, Weeting-with-Broomhill or Santon House, Lynford, Norfolk, and educated at Bury ...

. Purcell's career had also suffered after the death of the music-loving Charles II. With their sources of royal patronage gone, both playwright and composer were looking to make money as freelance professionals and the London stage offered attractive opportunities.Shay pp.9–11 In 1690, the theatre manager

Thomas Betterton Thomas Patrick Betterton (August 1635 – 28 April 1710), the leading male actor and theatre manager during Restoration England, son of an under-cook to King Charles I, was born in London. Apprentice and actor Betterton was born in August 16 ...

decided to risk putting on another operatic work, the first since the ill-fated ''Albion and Albanius''. This was the semi-opera ''

Dioclesian ''Dioclesian'' (''The Prophetess: or, The History of Dioclesian'') is an English tragicomic semi-opera in five acts by Henry Purcell to a libretto by Thomas Betterton based on the play '' The Prophetess'', by John Fletcher and Philip Massinger, ...

'' (1690), an adaptation of a play by

Beaumont and Fletcher Beaumont and Fletcher were the English dramatists Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, who collaborated in their writing during the reign of James I (1603–25). They became known as a team early in their association, so much so that their joi ...

. Purcell's music for the production and the lavish staging made it a triumph and Betterton was eager for another such success. He persuaded Dryden to dust off and revise the libretto for ''King Arthur'' so Purcell could set it. The two had already collaborated on stage works (Dryden had written the prologue for ''Dioclesian'' and Purcell the incidental music for Dryden's comedy ''

Amphitryon Amphitryon (; Ancient Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων, ''gen''.: Ἀμφιτρύωνος; usually interpreted as "harassing either side", Latin: Amphitruo), in Greek mythology, was a son of Alcaeus, king of Tiryns in Argolis. His mother was named ei ...

'') and Dryden was effusive in his praise of Purcell's musical abilities. In his preface to the printed edition, Dryden explained he had had to adapt the libretto to the changed political circumstances of 1691: "But not to offend the present Times, nor a Government which has hitherto protected me, I have been oblig'd so much to alter the first Design, and take away so many Beauties from the Writing, that it is now no more what it was formerly..." He also made alterations to suit Purcell's musical needs: "the Numbers of Poetry and Vocal Musick, are sometimes so contrary, that in many places I have been oblig'd to cramp my Verses, and make them rugged to the Reader, that they may be harmonious to the Hearer: Of which I have no Reason to repent me, because these sorts of Entertainments are principally design'd for the Ear and the Eye; and therefore in Reason my Art on this occasion, ought to be subservient to his."

Performance history

The exact date of the premiere is unknown but the wordbook was advertised in ''The London Gazette'' from 4 to 8 June 1691, suggesting a recent staging. Peter Holman believes it was performed in May. The production was not as spectacular as ''Dioclesian'' or the later '' The Fairy Queen'' but it proved the most financially successful for the theatre. Betterton himself took the role of King Arthur, despite being in his fifties. The contemporary writer Roger North was most impressed by Charlotte Butler's singing of Cupid, describing it as "beyond anything I ever heard upon the stage", partly ascribing her success to "the liberty she had of concealing her face , which she could not endure should be so contorted as is necessary to sound well, before her gallants, or at least her envious sex." ''King Arthur'' was revived at least twice during Purcell's lifetime and continued to be performed in the later 1690s. The first major revival in the eighteenth century was staged in 1736. This production left the work unaltered, but later revivals involved varying degrees of revision. They included a performance in

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

in 1763;

David Garrick David Garrick (19 February 1717 – 20 January 1779) was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of European theatrical practice throughout the 18th century, and was a pupil and friend of Sa ...

and

Thomas Arne Thomas Augustine Arne (; 12 March 17105 March 1778) was an English composer. He is best known for his patriotic song "Rule, Britannia!" and the song "A-Hunting We Will Go", the latter composed for a 1777 production of ''The Beggar's Opera'', whic ...

's version in 1770; and John Kemble and Thomas Linley's transformation of ''King Arthur'' into a two-act after-piece entitled ''Arthur and Emmeline'' in 1784.

Libretto

Interpretation based on political allegory

According to Curtis Price, the original 1684–5 version was probably an allegory of the

Exclusion crisis The Exclusion Crisis ran from 1679 until 1681 in the reign of King Charles II of England, Scotland and Ireland. Three Exclusion bills sought to exclude the King's brother and heir presumptive, James, Duke of York, from the thrones of England, Sc ...

, a major political dispute over who would succeed Charles II: his Catholic brother, James, Duke of York or the Duke of Monmouth, his illegitimate — but Protestant — son. The faction backing James was nicknamed the "Tories"; that in favour of Monmouth, the "Whigs". The latter were led by Anthony Ashley-Cooper, the Earl of Shaftesbury. Dryden was a convinced Tory and had already satirised Shaftesbury and other Whigs in his poem ''

Absalom and Achitophel ''Absalom and Achitophel'' is a celebrated satirical poem by John Dryden, written in heroic couplets and first published in 1681. The poem tells the Biblical tale of the rebellion of Absalom against King David; in this context it is an all ...

'' (1681). In Price's reading, King Arthur represents Charles II, the Britons are the Tories, and the Saxons are the Whigs. Oswald is the Duke of Monmouth and Osmond/Grimbald is the Earl of Shaftesbury. Philidel is the

Marquess of Halifax The title Marquess of Halifax was created in the Peerage of England in 1682 for the George Savile, 1st Earl of Halifax. He had previously been created Baron Savile, of Elland in the County of York, Viscount Halifax in 1668, and Earl of Halifax i ...

, a political moderate much admired by Dryden (he would dedicate the printed edition of ''King Arthur'' to Halifax). Emmeline personifies the "national conscience."

Sources and influences

Dryden did not base his libretto on standard versions of Arthurian myth, although he was familiar with such books as

Geoffrey of Monmouth Geoffrey of Monmouth ( la, Galfridus Monemutensis, Galfridus Arturus, cy, Gruffudd ap Arthur, Sieffre o Fynwy; 1095 – 1155) was a British cleric from Monmouth, Wales and one of the major figures in the development of British historiograph ...

's ''Historia Regum Britanniae''.Price p.292 He did, however, use other works of literature as sources of inspiration. There are clear parallels between ''King Arthur'' and Shakespeare's '' The Tempest'' (which Dryden had revised in line with Restoration taste in collaboration with

Sir William Davenant Sir William Davenant (baptised 3 March 1606 – 7 April 1668), also spelled D'Avenant, was an English poet and playwright. Along with Thomas Killigrew, Davenant was one of the rare figures in English Renaissance theatre whose career spanned bot ...

in 1667 and which had been turned into a semi-opera with music by

Matthew Locke Matthew Locke may refer to: * Matthew Locke (administrator) (fl. 1660–1683), English Secretary at War from 1666 to 1683 * Matthew Locke (composer) (c. 1621–1677), English Baroque composer and music theorist * Matthew Locke (soldier) (1974–2 ...

in 1674). Ellen A. Harris has described the links between the characters: Prospero and Merlin are both good magicians who use an "airy spirit" (Ariel in ''The Tempest'', Philidel in ''King Arthur'') to defeat a potential usurper (Alonzo/Oswald). The relationship between Arthur and Emmeline is like that between Ferdinand and Miranda. Like Miranda, Emmeline is an innocent who has "never seen a man" (quite literally true in the case of the blind Emmeline). Finally, there are obvious similarities between the "earthy spirits" Grimbald and Caliban, although there is no evil wizard corresponding to Osmond in ''The Tempest''. Dryden also used material he found in

epic poetry An epic poem, or simply an epic, is a lengthy narrative poem typically about the extraordinary deeds of extraordinary characters who, in dealings with gods or other superhuman forces, gave shape to the mortal universe for their descendants. ...

: the idea of the "enchanted wood" is taken from Canto XVII of

Tasso TASSO (Two Arm Spectrometer SOlenoid) was a particle detector at the PETRA particle accelerator at the German national laboratory DESY. The TASSO collaboration is best known for having discovered the gluon, the mediator of the strong interaction an ...

's ''

Gerusalemme liberata ''Jerusalem Delivered'', also known as ''The Liberation of Jerusalem'' ( it, La Gerusalemme liberata ; ), is an epic poem by the Italian poet Torquato Tasso, first published in 1581, that tells a largely mythified version of the First Crusade i ...

''; and Andrew Pinnock suggests the rivalry between Arthur and Oswald is like the conflict between Gondibert and Oswald in Sir William Davenant's unfinished poem ''

Gondibert ''Gondibert'' is an epic poem by William Davenant. In it he attempts to combine the five-act structure of English Renaissance drama with the Homeric and Virgilian epic literary tradition. Davenant also sought to incorporate modern philosophical th ...

'' (1650). In his preface, Dryden explained how he had conducted historical research into

Germanic paganism Germanic paganism or Germanic religion refers to the traditional, culturally significant religion of the Germanic peoples. With a chronological range of at least one thousand years in an area covering Scandinavia, the British Isles, modern Germ ...

to write the sacrifice scene in the first act: "When I wrote it, seven years ago, I employ'd some reading about it, to inform my self out of '' Beda'', ''Bochartus'', and other Authors, concerning the rites of the Heathen ''Saxons''...". But Andrew Pinnock believes "practically all the ritual came from a far handier source (which unaccountably Dryden forgot to mention): Aylett Sammes's ''Britannia Antiqua Illustrata'' (1676)."

Music

The Frost Scene in the third act has always attracted praise from critics. Edward J. Dent wrote, "The Frost Scene is one of Purcell's most famous achievements" with "its bold contrasts of style, and the masterly piling up of the music to a climax at the end of the chorus ''Tis love that has warmed us'".

Thomas Gray Thomas Gray (26 December 1716 – 30 July 1771) was an English poet, letter-writer, classics, classical scholar, and professor at Pembroke College, Cambridge, Pembroke College, Cambridge. He is widely known for his ''Elegy Written in a Country ...

, commenting on the 1736 production, described it as "excessive fine" and said that the Cold Genius' solo was "the finest song in the play".Holman p.205 This aria ("What power art thou who from below") is accompanied by shivering strings, probably influenced by a scene from Act IV of

Jean-Baptiste Lully Jean-Baptiste Lully ( , , ; born Giovanni Battista Lulli, ; – 22 March 1687) was an Italian-born French composer, guitarist, violinist, and dancer who is considered a master of the French Baroque music style. Best known for his operas, he ...

's opera ''

Isis Isis (; ''Ēse''; ; Meroitic: ''Wos'' 'a''or ''Wusa''; Phoenician: 𐤀𐤎, romanized: ʾs) was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kingd ...

'' (1677); but, as Peter Holman writes, Purcell's "daring chromatic harmonies transform the Cold Genius from the picturesque figure of Lully (or Dryden, for that matter) into a genuinely awe-inspiring character — the more so because Cupid's responses are set to such frothy and brilliant music". It has been suggested that the whole scene was inspired by the

frost fair The River Thames frost fairshttps://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details/collection_image_gallery.aspx?assetId=599805001&objectId=3199037&partId=1 Erra Paters Prophesy or Frost Faire 1684/3 were held on th ...

s held on the

Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...

during the 1680s.By James Winn, referred to by Dearing in the notes to ''Works'' p.328 Venus' act V air "Fairest Isle" achieved wide fame, inspiring

Charles Wesley Charles Wesley (18 December 1707 – 29 March 1788) was an English leader of the Methodist movement. Wesley was a prolific hymnwriter who wrote over 6,500 hymns during his lifetime. His works include " And Can It Be", " Christ the Lord Is Risen ...

's hymn " Love Divine, All Loves Excelling" to the same tune. "What power art thou who from below" was recorded by

Klaus Nomi Klaus Sperber (January 24, 1944 – August 6, 1983), known professionally as Klaus Nomi, was a German countertenor noted for his wide vocal range and an unusual, otherworldly stage persona. In the 1970s Nomi immersed himself in the East Villag ...

on his eponymous first album as "The Cold Song". The prelude to Act III serves as the basis for the piece Chasing Sheep Is Best Left to Shepherds in Michael Nyman's score for the 1982 movie

The Draughtsman's Contract ''The Draughtsman's Contract'' is a 1982 British comedy-drama film written and directed by Peter Greenaway – his first conventional feature film (following the feature-length mockumentary '' The Falls''). Originally produced for Channel 4, the ...

. Nyman then reused it for his 1984

Memorial A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or works of a ...

and again in 1989 in the score for The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover.

Roles

Synopsis

(Musical numbers given in bold)

Act 1

''Scene 1'' *1. Overture *2. Air *3. Overture The Britons prepare for the battle which will decide who will rule their land: the Christian Arthur or the heathen Saxon Oswald. It augurs well for them: it is

Saint George's Day Saint George's Day is the feast day of Saint George, celebrated by Christian churches, countries, and cities of which he is the patron saint, including Bulgaria, England, Georgia, Portugal, Romania, Cáceres, Alcoy, Aragon and Catalonia. Sai ...

and the Britons have already defeated the Saxons in ten battles. Conon, Duke of Cornwall, explains the origins of the war. Oswald had sought his daughter, the blind Emmeline's, hand in marriage but she rejected him because she is in love with Arthur. Arthur enters reading a letter of support from his magician Merlin. He meets Emmeline and tries to explain to her what seeing means. A trumpet calls Arthur to battle. ''Scene 2: The scene represents a place of Heathen worship; The three Saxon Gods,

, and

placed on Pedestals. An Altar.'' Oswald and his magician Osmond sacrifice horses and pray to the Saxon gods for victory in the coming battle. Osmond's servant, the spirit Grimbald, arrives and says he has persuaded six Saxons to offer themselves as a human sacrifice. He also admits he has lost control of the other spirit, Philidel, "a puleing Sprite" who "Sighs when he should plunge a Soul in Sulphur,/As with Compassion touched of foolish man." Philidel was supposed to have drawn up the vapours from the marsh and blown them in the face of the Christian soldiers but when he saw the crosses on their banners, he refused to carry out this task. Osmond says he will punish Philidel later. The sacrifice scene: *4. "Woden, first to thee" (Tenor, bass and chorus) *5. "The white horse neigh'd aloud" (Tenor and alto) *6. "The lot is cast, and Tanfan pleas'd" (Soprano) *7. "Brave souls, to be renown'd in story" (Chorus) *8. "I call you all to Woden's hall" (Alto and chorus) ''Scene 3: "A battle supposed to be given behind the Scenes, with Drums, Trumpets, and military Shouts and Excursions."'' The Britons sing a song of triumph as the Saxons flee the battlefield: *9. "Come if you dare" (Symphony followed by tenor and chorus)

Act 2

''Scene 1'' The tender-hearted Philidel pities those soldiers who have lost their lives in the battle. Merlin arrives in his chariot and orders Philidel to tell him who he is. Philidel explains he is a spirit of the air and one of the fallen angels, but he has repented. He deserts Osmond and joins Merlin. Philidel tells Merlin that Grimbald is planning to deceive the victorious Britons by leading them to drown in rivers or fall off cliffs. Merlin leaves Philidel his band of spirits to save the Britons from this trap. Grimbald arrives disguised as a shepherd guiding Arthur and his men. Philidel and his spirits and Grimbald and his spirits compete to win Arthur's trust: * 10. "Hither this way" (Chorus) * 11. "Let not a moonborn elf deceive thee" (Grimbald) * 12. "Hither this way" (Chorus) * 13. "Come follow me" (Philidel and spirits) Grimbald admits defeat, vows revenge on Philidel and vanishes. ''Scene 2: A pavilion'' Emmeline and her maid Matilda await news of the battle. To pass the time, a "Crew of Kentish Lads and Lasses" entertain them with songs and dances: *14. "How blest are the shepherds, how happy their lasses" (Shepherd and chorus) *15. "Shepherd, shepherd, leave decoying" (Two shepherdesses) *16a.

Hornpipe The hornpipe is any of several dance forms played and danced in Britain and Ireland and elsewhere from the 16th century until the present day. The earliest references to hornpipes are from England with Hugh Aston's Hornepype of 1522 and others r ...

*16b. "Come, shepherds, lead up a lively measure" (Chorus of shepherds) Oswald and his comrade Guillamar stray from the battlefield, chance upon the pavilion and kidnap Emmeline and Matilda. ''Scene 3'' A group of Britons continue the battle. ''Scene 4'' Arthur holds a parley with Oswald and begs him to return Emmeline, offering him land from the

River Medway The River Medway is a river in South East England. It rises in the High Weald AONB, High Weald, East Sussex and flows through Tonbridge, Maidstone and the Medway conurbation in Kent, before emptying into the Thames Estuary near Sheerness, a to ...

to the

Severn , name_etymology = , image = SevernFromCastleCB.JPG , image_size = 288 , image_caption = The river seen from Shrewsbury Castle , map = RiverSevernMap.jpg , map_size = 288 , map_c ...

, but Oswald refuses to relinquish her. *17. Second Act Tune: Air

Act 3

''Scene 1'' Arthur and his men attack Oswald's castle but Osmond's magic defeats them. Osmond has conjured a "Magick Wood" which bars access to the castle. Merlin promises to help Arthur reach Emmeline and restore her sight with potion in a vial. ''Scene 2: A deep wood'' Grimbald catches Philidel as he scouts the enchanted wood for Merlin. Philidel pretends to submit but secretly casts a spell on Grimbald which renders him powerless to move. Merlin asks Philidel to guide Arthur through the wood and gives him the vial, which the spirit uses to rid Emmeline of her blindness. Emmeline is amazed at the new world before her eyes. Merlin's spells also allow Arthur and Emmeline to meet for a brief moment and some performances insert the additional duet "You say 'tis love" here. Emmeline, however will not be free until the enchanted wood is destroyed. Osmond enters, intent on seducing Emmeline for himself, having drugged his master Oswald. Osmond tries to win Emmeline over by showing her a

masque The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment that flourished in 16th- and early 17th-century Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy, in forms including the intermedio (a public version of the masque was the pageant). A masque ...

acted by spirits. He conjures up a vision of " Yzeland" and "farthest

Thule Thule ( grc-gre, Θούλη, Thoúlē; la, Thūlē) is the most northerly location mentioned in ancient Greek literature, ancient Greek and Latin literature, Roman literature and cartography. Modern interpretations have included Orkney, Shet ...

". * The Frost Scene *18. Prelude *19. "What ho! thou genius of this isle" (

wakes the "Cold Genius", who is the spirit of Winter). *20. "What Power art thou, who from below..." (The Cold Genius reluctantly wakes from his slumbers) *21. "Thou doting fool" (Cupid) *22. "Great Love, I know thee now" (The Cold Genius acknowledge's love's power) *23. "No part of my dominion shall be waste" (Cupid) *24. Prelude *25. "See, see, we assemble" (Chorus and dance of the Cold People) *26. "'Tis I that have warm'd ye" (Cupid, followed by

ritornello A ritornello (Italian; "little return") is a recurring passage in Baroque music for orchestra or chorus. Early history The earliest use of the term "ritornello" in music referred to the final lines of a fourteenth-century madrigal, which were usu ...

and chorus of Cold People: "'Tis Love that has warm'd us") *27. "Sound a parley" (Cupid and Cold Genius, followed by ritornello and chorus) *28. Third Act Tune: Hornpipe The masque fails to persuade Emmeline and Osmond resorts to force but the captive Grimbald's shouts interrupt him. Osmond goes to free him, promising Emmeline he will be back.

Act 4

''Scene 1'' The freed Grimbald warns Osmond that Arthur is approaching the enchanted wood, where Merlin has undone his spells. Osmond decides to replace the threatening spells with seductive ones. ''Scene 2: Scene of the Wood continues'' Merlin leaves Arthur at the entrance to the wood with the spirit Philidel as his guide. Philidel has a wand which will banish all magical deception. Arthur hears seductive music from two

Siren Siren or sirens may refer to: Common meanings * Siren (alarm), a loud acoustic alarm used to alert people to emergencies * Siren (mythology), an enchanting but dangerous monster in Greek mythology Places * Siren (town), Wisconsin * Siren, Wisc ...

s bathing in a stream. *29. "Two Daughters of this Aged Stream are we" Though tempted, Arthur realises it is an illusion and presses on. Next, "Nymphs and Sylvans" emerge from the trees singing and dancing. *30. Passacaglia: "How happy the lover" Again, Arthur rejects them and begins the task of destroying the wood. When he chops a tree with his sword, blood pours out of it and the voice of Emmeline cries out in pain. It convinces Arthur that it is Emmeline, who has been turned into a tree by Osmond, and Arthur is just about to embrace the tree when Philidel reveals it is really a trick by Grimbald. Philidel captures Grimbald and Arthur cuts down the tree, dispelling the enchantment from the wood and freeing the way to Oswald's castle. Philidel drags off Grimbald in chains. *31. Fourth Act Tune: Air

Act 5

''Scene 1'' Now his magic has been destroyed, Osmond is terrified of the approaching Arthur. He decides he must persuade Oswald to fight for him. ''Scene 2'' *32. Trumpet tune Arthur and the Britons are preparing to storm the castle when Oswald comes out and challenges his rival to single combat for the hand of Emmeline and the crown. They fight and Arthur disarms Oswald. Arthur spares his life but tells Oswald he and his Saxons must return to Germany because the Britons "brook no Foreign Power/ To Lord it in a Land, Sacred to Freedom." Osmond is cast into a dungeon with Grimbald. Arthur is reunited with Emmeline and the work ends with a celebratory masque. The final masque: Merlin conjures a vision of the ocean around Britain. The Four Winds create a storm which is calmed by

Aeolus In Greek mythology, Aeolus or Aiolos (; grc, Αἴολος , ) is a name shared by three mythical characters. These three personages are often difficult to tell apart, and even the ancient mythographers appear to have been perplexed about which A ...

: *33. "Ye Blust'ring Brethren of the Skies" (Aeolus) allowing

Britannia Britannia () is the national personification of Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield. An image first used in classical antiquity, the Latin ''Britannia'' was the name variously applied to the British Isles, Great ...

to rise from the waves on an island with fishermen at her feet. *34. Symphony (The fishermen dance) *35. "Round thy Coasts, Fair Nymph of Britain" (Duet for Pan and a Nereid) *36. "For Folded Flocks, on Fruitful Plains" (Trio of male voices) *37. "Your hay it is Mow'd, and your Corn is Reap'd" (

and peasants) *38. "Fairest Isle" (Venus) *39. "You say 'tis love" (Duet for "He" and "She"; according to the printed libretto, the words were written by "Mr. Howe") *40. "Trumpet Tune (Warlike Consort) (Merlin reveals the

Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George C ...

) *41. "Saint George, the Patron of our Isle" (Honour and chorus) *42.

Chaconne A chaconne (; ; es, chacona, links=no; it, ciaccona, links=no, ; earlier English: ''chacony'') is a type of musical composition often used as a vehicle for variation on a repeated short harmonic progression, often involving a fairly short rep ...

(The masque ends with a "grand dance")

Recordings

Audio

*''King Arthur'' St Anthony Singers, Philomusica of London, conducted by Sir Anthony Lewis (Decca, 1958) *''King Arthur'' The Deller Consort & Choir, The King's Musick,

Alfred Deller Alfred George Deller, CBE (31 May 1912 – 16 July 1979), was an English singer and one of the main figures in popularising the return of the countertenor voice in Renaissance and Baroque music during the 20th century. He is sometimes referr ...

(Harmonia Mundi, 1979) *''King Arthur''

English Baroque Soloists The English Baroque Soloists is a chamber orchestra playing on period instruments, formed in 1978 by English conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner. Its repertoire comprises music from the early Baroque to the Classical period. History The English B ...

Monteverdi Choir The Monteverdi Choir was founded in 1964 by Sir John Eliot Gardiner for a performance of the ''Vespro della Beata Vergine'' in King's College Chapel, Cambridge. A specialist Baroque ensemble, the Choir has become famous for its stylistic convic ...

, conducted by

John Eliot Gardiner Sir John Eliot Gardiner (born 20 April 1943) is an English conductor, particularly known for his performances of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Life and career Born in Fontmell Magna, Dorset, son of Rolf Gardiner and Marabel Hodgkin, Gard ...

(Erato, 1985) *''King Arthur'' Les Arts Florissants, conducted by William Christie (Erato, 1995) *''King Arthur'' The English Concert and Choir,

Trevor Pinnock Trevor David Pinnock (born 16 December 1946 in Canterbury, England) is a British harpsichordist and conductor. He is best known for his association with the period-performance orchestra The English Concert, which he helped found and directe ...

(Archiv, 1992) *''King Arthur'' Le Concert Spirituel, conducted by

Hervé Niquet Hervé Niquet (born 28 October 1957) is a French conductor, harpsichordist, tenor, and the director of Le Concert Spirituel, specializing in French Baroque music. Biography Born on 28 October 1957, Hervé Niquet was raised at Abbeville in the ...

(Glossa, 2004) *''King Arthur''

Vox Luminis Vox Luminis are a Belgian early music vocal ensemble led by Lionel Meunier. Their recording of Heinrich Schütz's ''Musicalische Exequien'' for Ricercar won a Gramophone Award and International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) in 2012. Recordings (ch ...

, Lionel Meunier (Alpha, 2018) *''King Arthur''

Gabrieli Consort Paul McCreesh (born 24 May 1960) is an English conductor. Paul McCreesh is the founder and artistic director of the Gabrieli Consort & Players. With them he has performed in major concert halls and festivals across the world. He has been the ...

& Players,

Paul McCreesh Paul McCreesh (born 24 May 1960) is an English conductor. Paul McCreesh is the founder and artistic director of the Gabrieli Consort & Players. With them he has performed in major concert halls and festivals across the world. He has been the ...

(Signum, 2019)

DVD

*''King Arthur'' conducted by

Nikolaus Harnoncourt Johann Nikolaus Harnoncourt or historically Johann Nikolaus Graf de la Fontaine und d'Harnoncourt-Unverzagt; () (6 December 1929 – 5 March 2016) was an Austrian conductor, particularly known for his historically informed performances of music ...

(Euroarts, 2005) *''King Arthur'', performed by

Le Concert Spirituel Le Concert Spirituel is a French ensemble specialising in works of baroque music, played on period instruments. Founded by Hervé Niquet in 1987, it is named after the 18th-century concert series Concert Spirituel. The group performs internation ...

conducted by

, with the participation of Corinne & Gilles Benizio (alias Shirley & Dino), (Glossa, 2009)

References

Notes Sources *Dearing, Vinton, A. (Ed.), ''The Works of John Dryden'' Volume 16, University of California Press, 1997 *Gilman, Todd, S., "London Theatre Music: 1660–1719", in Susan J. Owen (ed.) ''A Companion to Restoration Drama'', Wiley-Blackwell, 2001 *Harris, Ellen T.,"''King Arthur's'' journey into the eighteenth century" in Curtis Price (ed.) ''Purcell Studies'' (Cambridge University Press, 1995) *Holden, Amanda (Ed.), ''The New Penguin Opera Guide'', New York: Penguin Putnam, 2001. *Holman, Peter, ''Henry Purcell'', Oxford University Press, 1994 *Milhous, Judith, "The Multimedia Spectacular on the Restoration Stage", ''British Theatre and the Other Arts, 1660–1800'', ed. Shirley Strum Kenny, Cranbury NJ: Associated University Presses, 1984 *Pinnock, Andrew, "''King Arthur'' expos'd: a lesson in anatomy" in Curtis Price (ed.) ''Purcell Studies'', Cambridge University Press, 1995 *Price, Curtis A., ''Henry Purcell and the London Stage'', Cambridge University Press, 1984 *Price, Curtis A., Notes in the booklet accompanying the recording of ''King Arthur'' by John Eliot Gardiner *Shay, Robert, "Dryden and Purcell's ''King Arthur'': Legend and Politics on the Restoration Stage", in Richard Barber (ed.) ''King Arthur in Music'', DS Brewer, 2002 Other sources * Davies, H. Neville, "King Arthur: or, The British Worthy" in ''Henry Purcell's Operas, The Complete Texts'', ed.

Michael Burden Michael Burden, FAHA, (born 14 March 1960) is an Australian musicologist, working in the United Kingdom. He was elected a Corresponding Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities in 2018. Life Born in Adelaide, South Australia, he was ...

, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2000. * Dent, Edward J. ''Foundations of English Opera'', Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1928. * Moore, R. E. ''Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theatre'', Greenwood Press, Westport CT, 1961. * Sawkins, Lionel, "''trembleurs'' and Cold People: How Should They Shiver?", ''Performing the Music of Henry Purcell'' ed. Michael Burden, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1996. * Van Lennep et al. dsWilliam, ''The London Stage'', parts 1 (1965) and 2 (1959), Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale

External links

* Libretto of sung parts *
Complete text
at Project Gutenberg {{Authority control 1691 operas Arthurian operas English-language operas Operas Operas by Henry Purcell Operas set in England Semi-operas