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Purcell: The Fairy Queen, 1692

Paul McCreesh and his choir and period orchestra Gabrieli perform Purcell’s The Fairy Queen with an impressive line-up of British soloists. Carolyn Sampson and Roderick Williams are among the cast for Purcell’s operatic adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Premiered in 1692, Purcell’s work was lost for centuries until its rediscovery in the 20th century. Gramophone Editor's Choice; BBC Music Magazine Choice

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  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Curtain Music and Overture • 1. Prelude
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Curtain Music and Overture • 2. Hornpipe
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Curtain Music and Overture • 3. Air
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Curtain Music and Overture • 4. Rondeau
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Curtain Music and Overture • 5. Overture
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act I • 1. Prelude and Song 'Come, Let Us Leave the Town'
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act I • 2. Scene of the Drunken Poet (Two Fairies, Poet and Chorus)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act I • 3. Jig
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act II • 1. Prelude and Song 'Come All Ye Songsters'
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act II • 2. Symphony in Imitation of Birds
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act II • 3. Song 'May the God of Wit Inspire'
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act II • 4. Symphony in Imitation of an Echo
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act II • 5. Chorus 'Now Join Your Warbling Voices All'
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act II • 6. Song, Chorus and Dance 'Sing While We Trip It' (Fairy)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act II • 7. Prelude and Song 'See, Even Night Herself Is Here' (Night)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act II • 8. Song 'I Am Come to Lock All Fast' (Mystery)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act II • 9. Prelude and Song 'One Charming Night' (Secrecy)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act II • 10. Song and Chorus 'Hush, No More' (Sleep)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act II • 11. Dance for the Followers of Night
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act II • 12. Second Act Tune. Air
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act II • 13. Prelude, Song and Chorus 'If Love’s a Sweet Passion' (Nymph & Fawn)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act III • 1. Symphony While the Swans Come Forward
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act III • 2. Dance for the Fairies
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act III • 3. Dance for the Green Men
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act III • 4. Song 'Ye Gentle Spirits of the Air' (Nymph)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act III • 5. Prelude and Dialogue 'Now the Maids and the Men Are Making of Hay' (Coridon, Mopsa)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act III • 6. Dance for the Haymakers
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act III • 7. Prelude and Song 'When I Have Often Heard Young Maids Complaining' (Nymph)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act III • 8. Song and Chorus 'A Thousand, Thousand Ways'
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act III • 9. Third Act Tune. Hornpipe
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act IV • 1. Symphony – Prelude. Canzona – Largo – Allegro – Adagio – Allegro
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act IV • 2. Song and Chorus 'Now the Night Is Chas’d Away'
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act IV • 3. Song 'Let the Fifes and the Clarions' (2nd Attendant, 3rd Attendant)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act IV • 4. Symphony for the Entry of Phoebus
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act IV • 5. Prelude and Song 'When a Cruel Long Winter' (Phoebus)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act IV • 6. Chorus 'Hail! Great Parent of us All' (I)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act IV • 7. Prelude and Song 'Thus the Ever Grateful Spring' (Spring)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act IV • 8. Prelude and Song 'Here’s the Summer' (Summer)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act IV • 9. Prelude and Song 'See my Many Colour'd Fields' (Autumn)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act IV • 10. Song 'Next, Winter Comes Slowly' (Winter)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act IV • 11. Chorus 'Hail! Great Parent of us All' (II)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act IV • 12. Fourth Act Tune. Air
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act IV • 13. Interlude 'O Let Me Weep' (The Plaint)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act V • 1. Prelude and Song 'Thrice Happy Lovers' (Juno)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act V • 2. Entry Dance
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act V • 3. Symphony
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act V • 4. Song 'Thus the Gloomy World' (Chinese Man)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act V • 5. Prelude, Song and Chorus 'Thus Happy and Free' (Chinese Woman)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act V • 6. Song 'Yes, Daphne' (Chinese Man)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act V • 7. Dance for the Monkeys
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act V • 8. Song 'Hark How All Things With One Sound Rejoice' (2nd Woman)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act V • 9. Song and Chorus 'Hark the Echoing Air a Triumph Sings' (1st Woman)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act V • 10. Song and Chorus 'Sure the Dull God of Marriage' – 'Hymen Appear' (1st Woman, 2nd Woman)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act V • 11. Prelude as Hymen Enters
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act V • 12. Song 'See, I Obey' – 'Turn Then Thine Eyes' – 'My Torch, Indeed' (Hymen, 1st Woman, 2nd Woman)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act V • 13. Song 'They Shall be as Happy as They’re Fair' (1st Woman, 2nd Woman)
  • Purcell • The Fairy Queen Z 629 • Act V • 14. Dance for Chinese Man and Woman. Chaconne