As part of Wigmore Hall’s season ‘Henry Purcell: A Retrospective‘, we’re delighted to showcase the exquisite music for King Arthur.
Joelle Harvey, Mhairi Lawson, Samuel Boden, Nick Pritchard and George Humphreys join us in this lyrical and dramatic exploration of early Britain.
As a native Londoner, born near Westminster Abbey in 1659, Purcell cut his teeth as a Chapel Royal chorister and went on to excel as composer of everything from music for Charles II, James II and William and Mary to popular hits for the London stage, King Arthur and The Fairy Queen exquisite among them.
John Dryden’s libretto gave Purcell this most successful of his ‘Dramatick Operas’, where play, ballet and music were combined much as they are in present day West End musical theatre. The music of King Arthur serves to heightens the plot’s depictions of Druid sacrifices, drunken farmers, Evil Spirits and, in the shivering frost scene, a very chilly Cupid!
Further concerts are also taking place especially for schools (Thursday 12 February) and families (Saturday 21 February).
