DESCRIPTION:
THE FAIRY QUEEN (Z.629), a masque or semi-opera in 5 acts, by Henry Purcell.
1st performance in London, Dorset Garden, on May 2 1692.
Libretto by Anonymous, after Shakespeare.

ACT ONE
I. 1st music: Prelude
II. 1st music: Hornpipe
III. 2nd music: Air
IV. 2nd music: Rondeau
V. Overture
VI. Jig

ACT TWO
VII. Suite: A prelude
VIII. "A bird's Prelude"
IX. Echo
X. A Fairies Dances
XI. A dance for the Followers of Night
XII. Air

ACT THREE
XIII. Suite: Prelude "Love's a sweet passion"
XIV. Overture symphony while the swams come forward
XV. Dance for the Fairies
XVI. Dance for the Green men
XVII. Dance for the Haymakers
XVIII. Hornpipe

ACT FOUR
XIX. Symphony: Prelude, Canzona, Largo, Allegro, Adagio, Allegro
XX. Entry of Phoebus
XXI. Air

ACT FIVE
XXII. Suite: Prelude
XXIII. Entry dance
XXIV. Symphony
XXV. Monkey's dance
XXVI. Chaconne, Dance for the Chinese Man and Woman
XXVII. "Fifth act tune"

Performed by Les Concert des Nations
dir. Jordi Savall

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Picture: The Awakening of the Fairy Queen Titania (between 1775-90) by Henry Fussli, aka Johann Heinrich Füssli (1741-1825).