Henry Purcell Opera The Fairy Queen
English Five-Act Semi-Opera or Masque Based on Shakespeare's Work
Henry Purcell (c. 1659 – November 21, 1695) composed The Fairy Queen, a five-act English masque or semi-opera. Libretto was written by an anonymous author, based on "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare. It was premiered in London, Queen's Theatre, Dorset Gardens, May 2, 1692. The setting is a palace in Athens, Greece, and nearby forest in legendary times.
Notable aria:"One charming night"(Secrecy)
In this masque or semi-opera The Fairy Queen by Henry Purcell, he focuses on Oberon's wife, Titania, eliminating some of the popular scenes from the play by Shakespeare. The main actors carry the story with the spoken dialogue of Shakespeare. Purcell extends enchanting but unrelated musical pieces to the bard's play, and makes the opera more entertaining and enjoyable. Purcell's score was lost (or neglected) for almost two centuries before its rediscovery in the early 1900s.
Character Roles of The Fairy Queen
- Major roles are the speaking parts of Shakespeare's play: Hermia, Lysander, Helena, Demetrius, Hermia's father Egeus, Puck, the fairies Night, Mystery, Secrecy, and Sleep
- Oberon, King of the Fairies (spoken part)
- Titania, Oberon's wife (spoken part)
- Coridon, a shepherd (bass baritone)
- Fairy, attendant to Titania (soprano)
Plot Summary / Synopses of Purcell's The Fairy Queen
Act 1. Palace of the Duke of Athens
Hermia's father, Egeus, demands his daughter marry Demetrius even though she loves Lysander, who also loves her. In the forest, a group of Titania's fairies torment a three drunken poets.
Act 2. A Forest
Titania and Oberon fight. Titania was entertained by the fairies and asks a lullaby. Oberon sprinkles a love portion over her eyes. The fairies - Night, Mystery, Secrecy and Sleep - sing Titania airs until she sleeps.
Act 3. A Forest
Oberon sends Puck in search of a magic love-inducing flower. As Oberon watches, Puck accidentally makes both Lysander and Demetrius fall in love with Helena. Titania falls in love with Bottom. Meantime, Coridon the shepherd pleads with Mopsa, who refuses his advances.
Act 4. A Garden of Fountains
Oberon orders Puck to fix his mistake with the Athenian lovers. Titania and Bottom wake up from their mistaken spells. In the musical scene, the fairies present the four seasons.
Act 5. A Forest (Scene 1) and A Chinese Garden (Scene 2)
The two pairs marry, Hermia and Lysander, and Demetrius and Helena.
There is much entertainment given by Oberon at the Chinese Garden of Eden.
Sources:
Opera by Alan Riding and L.D. Downer, DK, 2006
The Da Capo Opera Manual by Nicholas Ivor Martin, 1997
