Table of ContentsACT IACT IIACT IIIACTS IV-VMusicAfter PurcellThroughout this essay, I will explore the revolutionary semi-opera that is King Arthur. I intend to delve deeper into the reasons for its success, why it was controversial, as well as delve into the writer, composers and their exquisitely polished work. King Arthur is a semi-opera based on John Dryden's 1684 libretto, for which Purcell later composed the music. Although Dryden almost abandoned the libretto due to its patriotism and obvious bias in favor of King Charles II, who died in 1985. The opera premiered in June 1691 at the Dorset Garden Theater in London. The opera was very well received by the public. EJ Dent (author of an article on the music) described it in 1965 as "a very skillful work" and described the spoken dialogue and music as being "generally well balanced". The work was generally highly regarded due to its strong patriotism towards Britain. Additionally, it was one of the first operas of its kind, after Cromwell's desire to close the theaters in 1642, operas had not really had a chance to develop. This unusual amalgamation of libretto and music would have really surprised audiences of that era, especially since operas and other theatrical productions were only just beginning to reappear after Cromwell's reign.Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Henry Purcell was born in 1659 and is considered England's greatest Baroque composer. Partly because he had the great ability to write beautiful incidental music that matched the spoken dialogue perfectly, he truly blended the art of theater, literature and music. Part of the reason Purcell was so famous is that he was appointed organist at Westminster Abbey. He therefore had royal functions and was considered a member of the high social class. He composed music for occasions such as the coronation of James II and the funeral of Mary II, among others. The writer; John Dryden was born in 1631 and was England's first poet laureate. Dryden was considered so influential that the period in which he lived was called the "Age of Dryden." Dryden was a well-respected classic writer. So much so that he wrote "Astraea Redux" for the coronation of King Charles II in 1660. He was a very versatile artist and wrote many famous works in poetry, musical theater and opera . King Arthur also had some deeper meanings. The most widespread is certainly political. Arthur was considered a "source of national pride". Dryden was perhaps reminding the audience that Arthur had fought to rid himself of foreign invaders and that a "foreign monarch" had just returned to the throne in recent years. In other words, he wanted a true English heir to the throne to return to power. Another patriotic reason behind the birth of this semi-opera is the fact that Dryden was violently opposed to the coronation of William and Mary who were Protestants. He did not believe them worthy of ruling Britain. Dryden, who was stripped of his position as Poet Laureate due to this opposition to the new monarchy, expressed his views through King Arthur. The main characters of this opera are: King Arthur, Conon, Duke of Cornwall, his daughter Emmeline and his servant Matilda, Merlin; an enchanter and friend of Arthur Aurelius and his guard captain Albanact. On the Saxon side, there are some; Oswald: king of Kent, his friend Guillamar and Osmond: a magician. There are also manysmaller roles including mermaids, nymphs, shepherds, among many others. ACT I This is the act where King Arthur is shown winning his battles against the Saxon invaders. The first act depicts the final battle between Oswald (the Saxon leader) and the army led by King Arthur and their respective camps the night before the battle. The act is made even more glorious with the addition of "blind Emmeline", who is supposed to play King Arthur after declining Oswald's marriage proposal. The Saxons are driven back at the sound of the song; “Come if you dare.” ACT III In this act, Emmeline is kidnapped by Oswald during an attack and taken back to his castle. Upon learning this, Arthur decides to save her and attack Oswald's castle. However the latter has enchanted the surrounding forest, hindering Arthur's efforts to recover Emmeline. , who stays to save Emmeline. He ultimately succeeds and manages to use a potion to remove his blindness. ACTS IV-VMerlin manages to dispel Osmond's enchantments on the forest, allowing Arthur to enter. Arthur is lured into the water by two mermaids in the heart of the enchanted wood. Arthur manages to understand that it is an illusion and breaks the spell. The broken spell gives way to the British who then march to the Saxon fortress, where they confront Oswald. The latter then offers a one-on-one fight with Arthur, who is ultimately victorious. The British therefore win the war.MusicThe music of "King Arthur" has been described as "one of Purcell's most elaborate and successful efforts at dramatic composition, and contains several pieces which have always been popular with audiences." Perhaps the most famous piece from the music of "King Arthur" is "Come If You Dare", which appears during the freezing scene. Purcell reportedly encountered some problems while writing the music for the opera. Dryden's writing was said to be "clogged with consonants" and "provided very little material encouraging lyrical sweetness". King Arthur begins with a very grandiose Overture that lasts about six and a half minutes. Throughout most of the overture, the different instrument voices play mostly homophonically. The game is light but still quite intense. Purcell was one of the first to write for large baroque orchestra. It's not entirely clear whether King Arthur was intended for a full orchestra, but recent recordings all contain them and it definitely adds to the grandeur and royal, sacred atmosphere of the semi-opera. There is great uncertainty as to how King Arthur is intended to be performed, as the musical scores have never been published. Purcell had written the music of King Arthur for solo singers as well as for choir. Most of the main characters have singing roles ranging from soprano to bass. The first casting in 1691 consisted of Thomas Patrick Betterton as King Arthur. This was interesting because Betterton was in his 50s at the time of the premiere, while King Arthur was supposed to be a young king. He was chosen for this role because of his exceptional acting abilities. Joseph Williams was cast as Oswald, John Hodgson as Conon, Samuel Sandford as Osmond, Edward Kynaston as Merlin, and John Verbruggen as Aurelius. “Come if You Dare” is arguably the most popular song in the entire semi-opera. This is certainly due to its patriotic direction and very uplifting and intense orchestration. The song begins with loud trumpets and is meant to sound overwhelming and powerful, after all the Saxons were trying to discourage King Arthur and his army. It changes between C major and G major. The second Saxon priest (tenor) then enters, the singing and rhythms seem.