In the late 1980s, William Christie and Les Arts Florissants recorded galvanizing versions of two masterpieces of early English opera: Purcell's Dido and Aeneas and The Fairy Queen. These two seminal interpretations are now available again, coupled for the first time in a single boxed set.

Tracklist:

Dido and Aeneas~Overture
Dido and Aeneas~Act I. Solo and Chorus: Shake the cloud
Dido and Aeneas~Act I. Song: Ah! Belinda, I am prest
Dido and Aeneas~Act I. Recitative: Grief increases by concealing
Dido and Aeneas~Act I. Chorus: When monarchs unite
Dido and Aeneas~Act I. Recitative: Whence could so much virtue spring?
Dido and Aeneas~Act I. Duet and Chorus: Fear no danger to ensue
Dido and Aeneas~Act I. Recitative: See, your Royal Guest appears
Dido and Aeneas~Act I. Chorus: Cupid only throws the dart
Dido and Aeneas~Act I. Recitative: If not for mine
Dido and Aeneas~Act I. Air: Pursue thy conquest
Dido and Aeneas~Act I. Chorus: To the hills and the vales
Dido and Aeneas~Act I. The Triumphing Dance
Dido and Aeneas~Act II. Prelude for the Witches: Wayward Sisters, you that fright
Dido and Aeneas~Act II. Chorus: Harm's our delight
Dido and Aeneas~Act II. Recitative: The Queen of Carthage
Dido and Aeneas~Act II. Chorus: Ho! Ho! Ho! / Recitative: Ruin'd ere the set of sun
Dido and Aeneas~Act II. Duet: But ere we this perform
Dido and Aeneas~Act II. Chorus: In our deep vaulted cell
Dido and Aeneas~Act II. Echo Dance of Furies
Dido and Aeneas~Act II. Ritornelle
Dido and Aeneas~Act II. Song and Chorus: Thanks to these lonesome vales
Dido and Aeneas~Act II. Song: Oft she visits this lone mountain
Dido and Aeneas~Act II. Recitative: Behold, upon my bending spear
Dido and Aeneas~Act II. Song and Chorus: Haste, haste to town
Dido and Aeneas~Act II. Recitative: Stay, Prince, and hear great Jove's command
Dido and Aeneas~Act III. Prelude
Dido and Aeneas~Act III. Solo and Chorus: Come away, fellow sailors
Dido and Aeneas~Act III. Recitative: See the flags and streamers curling
Dido and Aeneas~Act III. Song: Our next motion
Dido and Aeneas~Act III. Chorus: Destruction's our delight
Dido and Aeneas~Act III. The Witche's Dance
Dido and Aeneas~Act III. Recitative: Your counsel all is urged in vain
Dido and Aeneas~Act III. Chorus: Great minds against themselves conspire
Dido and Aeneas~Act III. Recitative: Thy hand, Belinda
Dido and Aeneas~Act III. Song: When I am laid in earth
Dido and Aeneas~Act III. Chorus: With drooping wings ye Cupids come
Fairy Queen~First Musick.
Prelude
Fairy Queen~First Musick.
Hornpipe
Fairy Queen~Second Musick.
Air
Fairy Queen~Second Musick.
Rondeau
Fairy Queen~Second Musick.
Overture
Fairy Queen~Act I.
Duet: Come, let us leave the town
Fairy Queen~Act I.
Scene of the Drunken Poet: Fill up the bowl
Fairy Queen~Act I.
First Act Tune: Jig
Fairy Queen~Act II.
Come all ye songsters
Fairy Queen~Act II. 1
Prelude
Fairy Queen~Act II. 1
Chorus: May the God of Wit inspire / 1
Echo
Fairy Queen~Act II. 1
Chorus: Now join your warbling voices all, Sing while we trip it
Fairy Queen~Act II. 1
Dance of Fairies. Entrance of Night: See, even Night herself is here
Fairy Queen~Act II. 1
Dance of Fairies. Entrance of Mystery: I am come to lack all fast
Fairy Queen~Act II. 1
Dance of Fairies. Entrance of Secrecy: One charming night gives move delight
Fairy Queen~Act II. 1
Dance of Fairies. Entrance of Sleep: Hush, no more
Fairy Queen~Act II. 1
Dance of Fairies: Dance for the followers of Night
Fairy Queen~Act II. 1
Dance of Fairies. Second Act Tune: Air
Fairy Queen~Act III. 2
If love's a sweet passion
Fairy Queen~Act III. 2
Symphony while the swans come forward
Fairy Queen~Act III. 2
Dance for the Fairies
Fairy Queen~Act III. 2
Dance for the Green Men
Fairy Queen~Act III. 2
Ye gentle spirits of the air
Fairy Queen~Act III. 2
Dialogue between Coridon and Mopsa
Fairy Queen~Act III. 2
When I have often heard young maids complaining
Fairy Queen~Act III. 2
Dance for the Haymakers
Fairy Queen~Act III. 2
A thousand, thousand ways
Fairy Queen~Act III. 2
Third Act Tune: Hornpipe
Fairy Queen~Act IV. 3
Symphony
Fairy Queen~Act IV. 3
Now the night is chased away / 3
Let the Fifes and the Clarions
Fairy Queen~Act IV. 3
Entry of Phoebus
Fairy Queen~Act IV. 3
When a cruel long winter / 3
Chorus: Hail! great parent of us all
Fairy Queen~Act IV. 3
Spring: Thus the ever grateful Spring
Fairy Queen~Act IV. 3
Summer: Here's the Summer, sprightly, gay
Fairy Queen~Act IV. 3
Autumn: See, see my many colour'd fields
Fairy Queen~Act IV. 3
Winter: Next Winter comes slowly
Fairy Queen~Act IV. 4
Fourth Act Tune: Air
Fairy Queen~Act V. 4
Prelude
Fairy Queen~Act V. 4
Juno: Thrice happy lovers
Fairy Queen~Act V. 4
The Plaint: O let me weep!
Fairy Queen~Act V. 4
Entry Dance
Fairy Queen~Act V. 4
Symphony
Fairy Queen~Act V. 4
A Chinese Man: Thus the gloomy world
Fairy Queen~Act V. 4
Chinese Woman: Thus happy and free
Fairy Queen~Act V. 4
Chinese Man: Yes, Daphne
Fairy Queen~Act V. 4
Monkey's Dance
Fairy Queen~Act V. 5
Hark! how all things with one sound rejoice
Fairy Queen~Act V. 5
Hark! the echoing air a triumph sings
Fairy Queen~Act V. 5
Sure the dull God of Marriage does nor hear
Fairy Queen~Act V. 5
Prelude / 5
Hymen: See, I obey
Fairy Queen~Act V. 5
Turn then thine eyes
Fairy Queen~Act V. 5
Hymen: My torch indeed will from such brightness shine
Fairy Queen~Act V. 5
They shall be as happy as they are fair
Fairy Queen~Act IV. 5
Chaconne
Fairy Queen~Act IV. 5
They shall be as happy as they are fair

UPC: 3149020951637
Label: Harmonia Mundi
Release Date: 6.21.24
Format: CD

Les Arts Florissants / William Christie - Purcell: Dido & Aeneas, Fairy Queen (Box) (CD)