Oxford and Cambridge Musical Club

Dido and Aeneas

by
Henry Purcell (1659-1695)
Concert No. 2007

History of the Opera

Dido and Aeneas was first performed in 1689, a time when James II had left the throne and the new Protestant reign of William and Mary had just begun. It was commissioned by Josias Priest, a dancing-master who owned a School for Young Gentlewomen in Chelsea, who no doubt wanted to curry favour with the new régime. Priest had links with the professional theatre and was able to call on the services of the fore­most composer and poet of the day. At his insistence, dance was made an important element in the 'Entertainment'. Modern scholarship suggests that Dido and Aeneas was inspired by, and was a companion piece to, “Venus and Adonis” by Purcell’s teacher, John Blow, as the story , structure and musical outline bear many similarities.

It is likely that in the first performance pupils at the school took all the women's parts. It has been sugges­ted that no more than three male singers need have taken part, singing the lower parts in the choruses and dividing between them the roles of Aeneas and also possibly the Sorceress, a type of role which in Masques of the period was traditionally sung by a bass. Purcell, as organist of the Chapel Royal, would have been able to call on professional choristers to supply the men's parts. The role of the Sailor in Act III was, however, originally sung by a soprano.

A number of professional performances was given in the 18th century, though none, apparently, in the composer's lifetime. The Prologue, reconstructed in the Dart and Laurie edition that we are using tonight, was dropped early on and we shall not be performing it. Purcell's original score is lost, but Nahum Tate's libretto survives in the Library of the Royal College of Music.

Synopsis

The story is loosely based on Virgil’s Aeneid. Aeneas, a prince of Troy, flees after the fall of the city, in which his wife and children are killed. He is commanded by the Gods to found a new Troy (Rome).

The opera begins at a point in his wanderings when, shipwrecked on the coast of Carthage, he has been made welcome by the widowed Queen, Dido. Dido is encouraged by her sister and companion, Belinda, to respond to his advances. Belinda points out the advantages to be gained from the marriage of two monarchs. After initial hesitations but encouraged by the Court, she accepts his proposal.

In Act 2, the Sorceress appears and plots Dido’s downfall with the aid of her witches. She arranges for a Spirit to appear in the form of Mercury to Aeneas, to remind him of his instructions for a new Troy.

During this, Dido and Aeneas celebrate their happiness by retiring to the country where Aeneas is able to do some hunting. He receives forewarning of evil tidings by finding a huge and menacing-looking boar at the end of his spear. Dido hears distant thunder, conjured up by the Sorceress and all hasten back to the town. When he is on his own, Aeneas sees the vision of what he takes to be Mercury, telling him to leave Troy, a warning that he reluctantly accepts.

In Act 3, Aeneas and his fleet are making ready to depart, as announced by a sailor calling them to leave their temporary lovers and head for sea. The Sorceress and Witches then appear, absolutely delighted with the success of their plan. Not content with Dido’s ruin they plan to sink the fleet by a huge storm that they conjure up.

In the palace, Dido is distraught, having perhaps some premonition of her lover’s betrayal. Belinda comforts her but Aeneas then appears and announces that he is commanded to leave. After a passionate and angry exchange, even though he offers to defy the Gods after all and remain, she dismisses him.

Dido is heartbroken and knows she cannot survive his departure and in the most moving death-bed scene in all opera, she sings her great lament “When I am laid in Earth, …remember me”. The chorus sings a final farewell to the tragic queen.

The opera ends with a reading of the Epilogue, written for the first performance by Thomas D’Urfey.

Programme Notes by Normal Parkyns