Opera tonight – A Purcell world premiere
UncategorizedMasque of Might from Opera North is the world premiere of a witty and satirical new opera streamed by Slippedisc, courtesy of OperaVision. Sir David Pountney assembles Henry Purcell’s music to create a fantastical and thoroughly modern tale of power, corruption and the gathering climate crisis. Henry Purcell wrote only one opera, Dido and Aeneas. Masterpiece though that is, much of Purcell’s best dramatic music is to be found in the ‘semi-operas’, masques and other entertainments that were popular in his time, such as The Fairy Queen. Masque of Might showcases Purcell’s most beautiful, as well as rarely heard, music – including the spellbinding ‘O let me weep‘ from The Fairy Queen, the virtuosic ‘Arise ye subterranean winds‘ from The Tempest and the epic chorus ‘Soul of the world‘ from Ode for St Cecilia’s Day. Harry Bicket conducts the chorus and orchestra of Opera North.
Variously described as: ‘outstandingly stylish singing’ The Telegraph ; ‘a feast for Purcell lovers’ The Times; ‘an inventive piece of truly recycled musical theatre’ The Guardian
The Plot: Diktat is a tyrannical ruler unleashing chaos on the planet. But, as a band of unlikely heroes forms, launching a battle of biblical proportions, can a shattered world heal in time?
Sung in English with subtitles in English.
Streaming available from 1900 CET / 1800 London / 1300 NY
Thank you so much for the link! While the “eco-entertainment” premise was a bit of a stretch (yes, I’m familiar with creaky premises in Baroque operas…), loved the music and performances. The staging was a bit over the top but lent itself well to streaming. Had to leave before the live (?) stream ended and was delighted to receive an emailed link to the full performance on YouTube. Again, many thanks – would not otherwise have had the opportunity to enjoy this.