Individual Works
Dido and Aeneas
ASO18 (1978).
- Harris, Ellen T. Henry Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas.” New York: Oxford U.P.,
- xii, 184p. ISBN 0-19-315253-3. ML410 .P93 H3.
An account of the research undertaken by Harris as she prepared a revision of
the score (published by Oxford U.P. in 1988). Considers the sources, libretto
and its literary tradition, editions, reception, and performance history. Techni-
cal analysis includes studies of declamation and the ground bass. Useful bibli-
ography of primary and secondary sources, index. - Savage, Roger. “Producing Dido and Aeneas.” Early Music4 (1976): 393–406.
Reprinted in 1516 and 1525. Reviews modern ideas on staging the work and
considers “16 problems” to be solved in the process, such as choice of edition,
decor, “who dances what?” and even “Is Dido a virgin queen at the start and
when does intimacy take place?” The essay is reprinted in the next item. - Purcell, Henry. Dido and Aeneas. Ed. Curtis Price. Norton Critical Score Series.
New York: Norton, 1986. 277p. ISBN 0-393-02407-5. M1500 .P98 D76.
A reprint of the old Purcell Society score (1878) with a critical edition of the
original libretto (of which only one copy is known to exist). Valuable back-
ground essay by Price, covering the allegory and sources, and an account of
early performances, by Margaret Laurie. Some contributions by George
Bernard Shaw are included, as well as material by Andrew Porter, Jack
Westrup, Robert E. Moore, Edward Dent, and Roger Savage (his #1524
reprinted). No index or bibliography.
Dioclesian
- Muller, Julia. Words and Music in Henry Purcell’s First Semi-Opera, “Diocle-
sian”: An Approach to Early Music through Early Theatre. Studies in the His-
tory and Interpretation of Music, 28. Lewiston, N.Y.: E. Mellen, 1990. viii,
507p. ISBN 0-88946-495.2. ML410 .P93 M8.
Bibliographic description of sources, provenance of the play and opera, line-
by-line study of the text, scenes and machines, productions. The libretto
(1690) was adapted by Thomas Betterton from a play of the same name by
John Fletcher and Philip Massinger. Good bibliography of about 400 items, no
index.
The Fairy Queen
- Mandinian, Edward. Purcell’s “The Fairy Queen” as Presented by the Sadler’s
Wells Ballet and the Covent Garden Opera: A Photographic Record with the
Preface to the Original Text, and a Preface by E. J. Dent, and Articles by Con-
stant Lambert and Michael Ayrton.London: Lehmann, 1948. 96p. PR3671
.S6 A6448 M3.
The title speaks for itself. No index.
Henry Purcell 289