Whence could so much virtue spring
Opera details:
Opera title: | Dido and Aeneas |
Composer: | Henry Purcell |
Language: | English |
Synopsis: | Dido and Aeneas Synopsis |
Libretto: | Dido and Aeneas Libretto |
Translation(s): | Deutsch |
Duet details:
Type: | duet |
Role(s): | Dido / Belinda |
Voice(s): | Mezzo-Soprano or Soprano / Soprano |
Act: | 1.06 |
| Previous scene: | When monarchs unite |
| Next scene: | Fear no danger to ensue |
H. Purcell - Dido and Aeneas (Z. 626)
Singer(s): Véronique Gens Gaëlle Méchaly Sophie DanemanDIDO AND AENEAS (Z. 626), an opera in prologue and 3 acts, by Henry Purcell.
Performed at Josias Priest's girls' school in London no later than the summer of 1688.
1st publication was in 1689.
Libretto by Nahum Tate.
I. Overture - 0:17
ACT ONE
IIa. Aria: Shake the cloud from off your brow
IIb. Chorus: Banish sorrow, banish care
III. Aria and Ritornello: Ah! Belinda, I am prest with torment
IV. Duet (dialogue): Grief increases by concealing
V. Chorus: When monarchs unite
VI. Trio (dialogue): Whence could so much virtue spring?
VII. Duet and Chorus: Fear no danger
VIII .Trio (dialogue): See, your royal guest appears
IX. Chorus (dialogue): Cupid only throws the dart
X. Aria: If not for mine
XI. Prelude and Aria: Pursue thy conquest, love
XII. Chorus: To the hills and the vales
XIII. The triumphing dance
ACT TWO
XIV. Prelude and Aria: Wayward sisters
XV. Chorus: Harm's our delight
XVI. Aria: The queen of Carthage, whom we hate
XVII -- XX. Chorus and Dialogue: Ho ho ho!
XXI. Chorus: In our deep vaulted cell
XXII. Echo dance of the furies
XXIII. Ritornello
XXIVa-b. Aria and Chorus: Thanks to these lonesome vales
XXIVc. Gittar ground
XXVa. Aria: Oft she visits this lone mountain
XXVb. Ritornello: A Dance to entertain Aeneas by Dido's Women
XXVI. Aria: Behold, upon my bended spear
XXVII. Aria and Chorus: Haste, haste to town
XXVIII. Duet (dialogue): Stay, Prince
ACT THREE
XXIX. Prelude and Aria: Come away, fellow sailors
XXX. The sailor's dance
XXXI. Trio (dialogue): See the flags and the streamers curling
XXXII. Aria: Our next motion
XXXIII. Chorus: Destruction's our delight
XXXIV. The witches' dance
XXXVa. Aria: Your counsel all is urg'd in vain
XXXVb. Trio (dialogue): See, madam where the Prince appears
XXXVI. Chorus: Great minds against themselves conspire
XXXVII. Aria: Thy hand Belinda, darkness shades me
XXXVIII. Ground, Aria and Ritornello: When I am laid in earth
XXXIX. Chorus: With drooping wings
XL. Epilogue: All that we know the angels do above
Performed by Les Arts Florissants
dir. William Christie
Veronique Gens (soprano) as Dido
Nathan Berg (bass-baritone) as Aeneas
Sophie Marin-Degor (soprano) as Belinda
Claire Brua (mezzo-soprano) as Sorceress
Sophie Daneman, Gaelle Mechaly (sopranos) as witches I/II
Jean-Paul Fouchecourt (tenor) as Spirit/Sailor
*** *** ***
Picture: Diana and Callisto (1639), by Peter Paul Rubens.
Watch videos with other singers performing Whence could so much virtue spring:
1 - Catherine Bott
1 - Emma Kirkby
1 - Deborah York
1 - Simone Kermes
1 - Jessye Norman
1 - Marie McLaughlin
1 - Felicity Palmer
2 - Tatiana Troyanos
1 - Camilla Tilling
2 - Susan Graham
1 - Sheila Armstrong
2 - Tatiana Troyanos
1 - Kirsten Flagstad
1 - Maggie Teyte
1 - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
1 - Kirsten Flagstad
1 - Jessye Norman
1 - Marie McLaughlin
2 - Della Jones
2 - Patricia Kern
1 - Catherine Bott
1 - Emma Kirkby
1 - Julianne Baird
5 - John Mark Ainsley
5 - Michael Chance
1 - Gaëlle Méchaly
1 - Sophie Daneman
1 - Véronique Gens
1 - Céline Scheen
1 - Nuria Rial
2 - Romina Basso
2 - Carolyn Watkinson
1 - Lynne Dawson
1 - Sarah Leonard
2 - Anne Sofie von Otter
1 - Elin Manahan Thomas
1 - Salomé Haller
2 - Janet Baker
1 - Arda Mandikian
1 - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
1 - Kirsten Flagstad
2 - Anna Pollak
1 - Adele Leigh
2 - Teresa Berganza
Other videos of the same singers performing Whence could so much virtue spring:
1 - Véronique Gens
1 - Véronique Gens
2 - Janet Baker
1 - Arda Mandikian
1 - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
1 - Kirsten Flagstad
2 - Anna Pollak
1 - Kirsten Flagstad
Libretto/Lyrics/Text/Testo:
DIDOWhence could so much virtue spring?
What storms, what battles did he sing?
Anchises' valour mix'd with Venus' charms
How soft in peace, and yet how fierce in arms!
BELINDA
A tale so strong and full of woe
Might melt the rocks as well as you.
SECOND WOMAN
What stubborn heart unmov'd could see
Such distress, such piety?
DIDO
Mine with storms of care oppress'd
Is taught to pity the distress'd.
Mean wretches' grief can touch,
So soft, so sensible my breast;
But ah! I fear, I pity his too much.
BELINDA AND SECOND WOMAN
repeated by Chorus
Fear no danger to ensue,
The Hero loves as well as you,
Ever gentle, ever smiling,
And the cares of life beguiling,
Cupid strew your path with flowers
Gather'd from Elysian bowers.
External links for Whence could so much virtue spring
| Sheetmusic for duet |  Sheetmusicplus.com |
| Sheetmusic for opera | Sheetmusicplus.com |
| MP3's for this duet | on Amazon.com |
| DVD/CD's for this opera | on Amazon.com |
Possible interesting pages on Opera-Arias.com
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