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We'll Try a Thousand Charming Ways to Win Ye

Donald Macleod on Purcell's music for a 1692 adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream - The Fairy Queen.

Donald Macleod explores Purcell's music for a spectacular 1692 adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Fairy Queen. Later that year the London stage faced disasters involving its principal performers - the worst being the murder of the actor William Mountfort, by an army officer, over the star actress Anne Bracegirdle. This was a bad omen for the United Company, which thanks to financial mismanagement was on the brink of collapse.

1 hour

Music Played

  • Henry Purcell

    Music for a While (Oedipus, King of Thebes)

    Performer: Théotime Langlois de Swarte. Performer: Théotime Langlois de Swarte. Performer: Justin Taylor. Performer: Justin Taylor.

    Performer: James Bowman (tenor), The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood (conductor)

    • Decca 4755292.
  • Henry Purcell

    Henry Purcell - Hang this whining way of wooing; No, no, poor suff'ring heart

    Performer: Emma Kirkby (soprano), The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood (conductor)

  • Henry Purcell

    Henry Purcell - The Fairy Queen: Sonata while the sun rises

    Performer: The Parley of Instruments, Roy Goodman (conductor)

  • Henry Purcell

    The Fairy Queen (Extract from Act II)

    Performer: Jeffrey Thomas (alto), Caroline Stam (soprano), Anne Grimm (Night), Nadia Ragni (Mystery), Geraint Roberts (secrecy), Donald Bentvelsen (Sleep), The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Choir, Ton Koopman (conductor)

    • Erato 4509-98506-2.
    • 7 to 20.
  • Henry Purcell

    No, no, no resistance is but vain

    Performer: Emma Kirkby (soprano), Evelyn Tubb (soprano), The Consort of Musicke, Anthony Rooley (director)

    • Musica Oscura 070977.
    • 1.

Broadcasts

  • Thu 12 May 2011 12:00
  • Thu 12 May 2011 18:30
  • Thu 23 Feb 2012 12:00
  • Thu 23 Feb 2012 18:30

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