The Long LineThe Long Line

Henry Purcell

Dido and Aeneas, Z.626

Opera

Composed 1688 Stage

Dido and Aeneas (Z. 626) is an opera in a prologue and three acts, written by the English Baroque composer Henry Purcell with a libretto by Nahum Tate. The dates of the composition and first performance of the opera are uncertain. It was composed no later than July 1688, and had been performed at Josias Priest's girls' school in London by the end of 1689. Some scholars argue for a date of composition as early as 1683. The story is based on Book IV of Virgil's Aeneid. It recounts the love of Dido, Queen of Carthage, for the Trojan hero Aeneas, and her despair when he abandons her. A monumental work in Baroque opera, Dido and Aeneas is remembered as one of Purcell's foremost theatrical works. It was also Purcell's only true opera, as well as his only all-sung dramatic work. One of the earliest known English operas, it owes much to John Blow's Venus and Adonis, both in structure and in overall effect.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Synopsis

  1. Overture
  2. Prologue

Act I

Dido's court
The opera opens with Dido in her court with her attendants. Belinda is trying to cheer Dido up, but Dido is full of sorrow, saying 'Peace and I are strangers grown'. Belinda believes the source of this grief to be the Trojan Aeneas, and suggests that Carthage's troubles could be resolved by a marriage between the two. Dido and Belinda talk for a time: Dido fears that her love will make her a weak monarch, but Belinda and the Second Woman reassure her that "The hero loves as well." Aeneas enters the court, and is at first received coldly by Dido, but she eventually accepts his proposal of marriage.

  1. 1. Aria “Shake the cloud from off your brow” (Belinda) – “Banish sorrow, banish care” (Chorus)
  2. 2. “Ah! Belinda, I am prest with torment” (Dido)
  3. 3. Recitative “Grief increases by concealing” (Belinda, Dido, Second Woman)
  4. 4. “When monarchs unite” (Chorus)
  5. 5. Recitative “Whence could so much virtue spring?” (Dido, Belinda, Second Woman)
  6. 6. “Fear no danger to ensue” (Belinda, Second Woman, Chorus)
  7. Dance
  8. 7. Recitative “See, your royal guest appears” (Belinda, Aeneas, Dido)
  9. 8. “Cupid only throws the dart” (Chorus)
  10. 9. Recitative “If not for mine, for empire’s sake” (Aeneas)
  11. 10. Aria “Pursue thy conquest, love” (Belinda)
  12. Guitar Dance
  13. 11. “To the hills and the vales” (Chorus)
  14. 12. The Triumphing Dance

Act II

Scene 1: The cave of the Sorceress

The Sorceress/Sorcerer is plotting the destruction of Carthage and its queen, and summons companions to help with evil plans. The plan is to send her "trusted elf" disguised as Mercury, someone to whom Aeneas will surely listen, to tempt him to leave Dido and sail to Italy. This would leave Dido heartbroken, and she would surely die. The chorus join in with terrible laughter, and the Enchantresses decide to conjure up a storm to make Dido and her train leave the grove and return to the palace. When the spell is prepared, the witches vanish in a thunderclap.
Scene 2: A grove during the middle of a hunt
Dido and Aeneas are accompanied by their train. They stop at the grove to take in its beauty. A lot of action is taking place, with attendants carrying goods from the hunt and possibly a picnic in progress, Dido and Aeneas forming the focus of all the activity. This ceases when Dido hears distant thunder, prompting Belinda to tell the servants to prepare for a return to shelter as soon as possible. As every other character leaves the stage, Aeneas is stopped by the Sorceress's elf, who is disguised as Mercury. This pretend Mercury brings the "command of Jove" that Aeneas is to wait no longer in beginning his task of creating a new Troy on Latin soil. Aeneas consents to the wishes of what he believes are the gods, but is heart-broken that he will have to leave Dido. He then goes off-stage to prepare for his departure from Carthage.

  1. Scene I, 13. Prelude for the Witches – “Wayward sisters” (Sorceress, First Witch)
  2. Scene I, 14. “Harm’s our delight” (Witches chorus)
  3. Scene I, 15. Recitative “The Queen of Carthage, whom we hate” (Sorceress)
  4. Scene I, 16. “Ho ho ho!” (Chorus)
  5. Scene I, 17. Recitative “Ruin’d ere the set of sun?” (Two Witches, Sorceress)
  6. Scene I, 18. “Ho ho ho!” (Chorus)
  7. Scene I, 19. “But ere we this perform” (Two Witches)
  8. Scene I, 20. “In our deep vaulted cell” (Chorus)
  9. Scene I, 21. Echo Dance of Furies
  10. Scene II, 22. Ritornelle
  11. Scene II, 23. Aria and Chorus “Thanks to these lonesome vales” (Belinda, Chorus)
  12. Scene II. Gittar Ground a Dance
  13. Scene II, 24. Aria “Oft she visits this lone mountain” (Second Woman) / Ritornelle
  14. Scene II, 25. Recitative “Behold, upon my bending spear” (Aeneas, Dido)
  15. Scene II, 26. Aria and Chorus “Haste, haste to town” (Belinda, Chorus)
  16. Scene II, 27. Recitative “Stay, Prince, and hear great Jove’s command” (Spirit, Aeneas)
  17. Scene II. Chorus “Then since our charmes have sped” (Sorceress, Two Witches)
  18. Scene II. The Groves Dance

Act III

The harbour at Carthage
Preparations are being made for the departure of the Trojan fleet. The sailors sing a song, which is followed shortly by the Sorceress and her companions' sudden appearance. The group is pleased at how well their plan has worked, and the Sorceress sings a solo describing her further plans for the destruction of Aeneas "on the ocean". All the characters begin to clear the stage after a dance in three sections, and then disperse.
The palace
Dido and Belinda enter, shocked at Aeneas' disappearance. Dido is distraught and Belinda comforts her. Suddenly Aeneas returns, but Dido is full of fear before Aeneas speaks, and his words only serve to confirm her suspicions. She derides his reasons for leaving, and even when Aeneas says he will defy the gods and not leave Carthage, Dido rejects him for having once thought of leaving her. After Dido forces Aeneas to leave, she states that "Death must come when he is gone." The opera and Dido's life both slowly come to a conclusion, as the Queen of Carthage sings her last aria, "When I am laid in Earth", also known as "Dido's Lament." The chorus and orchestra then conclude the opera once Dido is dead by ordering the "cupids to scatter roses on her tomb, soft and gentle as her heart. Keep here your watch, and never, never part."

  1. 28. Prelude “Come away, fellow sailors, your anchors be weighing” (First Sailor, Chorus)
  2. 29. The Sailors’ Dance
  3. 30. Recitative “See, the flags and streamers curling” (Sorceress, Witches)
  4. Aria “Our next motion” (Sorceress)
  5. 31. “Destruction’s our delight” (Chorus)
  6. 32. The Witches’ Dance
  7. 33. Recitative “Your counsel all is urg’d in vain” (Dido, Belinda, Aeneas)
  8. 34. Recitative “But death, alas! I cannot shun” (Dido)
  9. 35. “Great minds against themselves conspire” (Chorus)
  10. 36. Recitative “Thy hand, Belinda; darkness shades me” (Dido)
  11. 37. Ground, Aria and Ritornello “When I am laid in earth” (Dido)
  12. 38. “With drooping wings” (Chorus)
  13. Cupids’ Dance

Act I

Dido's court
The opera opens with Dido in her court with her attendants. Belinda is trying to cheer Dido up, but Dido is full of sorrow, saying 'Peace and I are strangers grown'. Belinda believes the source of this grief to be the Trojan Aeneas, and suggests that Carthage's troubles could be resolved by a marriage between the two. Dido and Belinda talk for a time: Dido fears that her love will make her a weak monarch, but Belinda and the Second Woman reassure her that "The hero loves as well." Aeneas enters the court, and is at first received coldly by Dido, but she eventually accepts his proposal of marriage.

  1. VII. "Fear no danger" / Dance
  2. "Ruin'd ere the set of sun"

Act II

Scene 1: The cave of the Sorceress

The Sorceress/Sorcerer is plotting the destruction of Carthage and its queen, and summons companions to help with evil plans. The plan is to send her "trusted elf" disguised as Mercury, someone to whom Aeneas will surely listen, to tempt him to leave Dido and sail to Italy. This would leave Dido heartbroken, and she would surely die. The chorus join in with terrible laughter, and the Enchantresses decide to conjure up a storm to make Dido and her train leave the grove and return to the palace. When the spell is prepared, the witches vanish in a thunderclap.
Scene 2: A grove during the middle of a hunt
Dido and Aeneas are accompanied by their train. They stop at the grove to take in its beauty. A lot of action is taking place, with attendants carrying goods from the hunt and possibly a picnic in progress, Dido and Aeneas forming the focus of all the activity. This ceases when Dido hears distant thunder, prompting Belinda to tell the servants to prepare for a return to shelter as soon as possible. As every other character leaves the stage, Aeneas is stopped by the Sorceress's elf, who is disguised as Mercury. This pretend Mercury brings the "command of Jove" that Aeneas is to wait no longer in beginning his task of creating a new Troy on Latin soil. Aeneas consents to the wishes of what he believes are the gods, but is heart-broken that he will have to leave Dido. He then goes off-stage to prepare for his departure from Carthage.

  1. Ritornelle - "Thanks to these lonesome dales"
  1. Act III “Thy Hand Belinda” / Dido’s Lament “When I am Laid in Earth”

Synopsis from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Recommended recordings

Elsewhere

← All of the composer’s works