The Fairy Queen, A Semi-Opera in Five Acts

Book excerpt: "The Fairy Queen" was first performed in 1692, and was repeated in the following year. For the revival in 1693 Purcell added all the music of Act I., and the two songs, "Ye gentle spirits of the air" (No. 24) and "The Plaint" (No. 43). The Opera was adapted from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," but Purcell did not set a single line of Shakespeare's play to music. The play was considerably curtailed, many lines altered, and some Scenes rearranged; in this mutilated version it was acted, not sung. At the end of each Act some pretext is found for introducing a musical entertainment which has little or nothing to do with the play. Purcell's music, composed towards the end of his short career, includes some of his best work, and shows strong Italian influence.