Purcell: Dido & Aeneas (Armonico Consort, Christopher Monk) (CD)

Armonico Consort is one of the largest and most innovative organisations of its kind in the UK, existing to inspire audiences with its unique programmes.

★★★★ Lithe, colourful, tastefully phrased and dynamically astute playing…[the cast] sing compellingly and inhabit their roles with the same sensitivity that distinguishes the whole performance
- The Daily Telegraph

A clean, uncluttered account featuring crystalline voices, good diction, safe tempos and well-defined phrasing…vocal ensembles are luminous and the instrumental playing is bright and streamlined. Best of all is Rachael Lloyd’s dignified Dido, rich-voiced, poetic and flawlessly delivered
- The Guardian

The Armonico Consort and its musical director, Christopher Monks, capture this abundance of inspiration in a performance full of life and variety…Rachael Lloyd’s dignified Dido and Elin Manahan Thomas’s bright Belinda are well contrasted
- Financial Times

This small-scale version of Purcell’s evergreen masterpiece has much to commend it
- Early Music Today

Tracklist:

Dido & Aeneas, Z. 626

1. Overture
2. Act I Scene 1: Belinda & Chorus: “Shake the cloud from off your brow”
3. Act I Scene 1: Dido: “Ah! Belinda, I am press’d with torment”
4. Act I Scene 1: Belinda & Dido: “Grief increases by concealing”
5. Act I Scene 1: Chorus: “When monarchs unite, how happy their state”
6. Act I Scene 1: Dido & Belinda: “Whence could so much virtue spring?”
7. Act I Scene 1: Belinda, Second Woman & Chorus: “Fear no danger to ensue”
8. Act I Scene 1: Belinda, Aeneas, Dido: “See, your royal guest appears”
9. Act I Scene 1: Chorus: “Cupid only throws the dart”
10. Act I Scene 1: Aeneas: “If not for mine, for Empire’s sake”
11. Act I Scene 1: Belinda: “Pursue thy conquest love”
12. Act I Scene 1: Guitars’ Chaconne
13. Act I Scene 1: Chorus: “To the hills and the vales”
14. Act I Scene 1: The Triumphing Dance
15. Act II Scene 1: Prelude for the Witches (Sorceress & First Witch): “Wayward sisters”
16. Act II Scene 1: Chorus: “Harm’s our delight”
17. Act II Scene 1: Sorceress: “The Queen of Carthage, whom we hate”
18. Act II Scene 1: Chorus: “Ho ho ho, ho ho ho!”
19. Act II Scene 1: First & Second Witches, Sorceress: “Ruin’d ere the set of sun?”
20. Act II Scene 1: Chorus: “Ho ho ho, ho ho ho!”
21. Act II Scene 1: First & Second Witches: “But, ere we this perform”
22. Act II Scene 1: Chorus: “In our deep vaulted cell”
23. Act II Scene 1: Echo Dance of Furies
24. Act II Scene 2: Ritornelle
25. Act II Scene 2: Belinda & Chorus: “Thanks to these lonesome vales”
26. Act II Scene 2: Second Woman: “Oft she visits this lone mountain”
27. Act II Scene 2: Aeneas & Dido: “Behold, upon my bended spear”
28. Act II Scene 2: Belinda & Chorus: “Haste to town”
29. Act II Scene 2: Spirit & Aeneas: “Stay, Prince! and hear great Jove’s command”
30. Act III Scene 1: The Sailor’s Dance I
31. Act III Scene 1: Drunken Sailor & Chorus: “Come away, fellow sailors”
32. Act III Scene 1: The Sailor’s Dance II
33. Act III Scene 1: Sorceress, First & Second Witches: “See, the flags and streamers curling”
34. Act III Scene 1: Sorceress: “Our next motion”
35. Act III Scene 1: Chorus: “Destruction’s our delight”
36. Act III Scene 1: The Witches’ Dance
37. Act III Scene 2: Dido, Belinda & Aeneas: “Your counsel all is urged in vain”
38. Act III Scene 2: Chorus: “Great minds against themselves conspire”
39. Act III Scene 2: Dido: “Thy hand, Belinda; darkness shades me”