Ep. 134 King Arthur by Henry Purcell

Summary

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Opera For Everyone – Ep. 134: King Arthur by Henry Purcell

Release Date: September 8, 2025
Host: Pat Wright
Guest: Gerald Malone (Opera Critic, Board Member – Metropolitan Opera Club, Met Opera Club Treasurer, website: therestisopera.com)

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Episode Overview

In this enriching episode, Pat Wright welcomes back opera critic Gerald Malone to deep-dive into Henry Purcell's "King Arthur," with a libretto by the poet John Dryden. With passion, clarity, and wit, the hosts demystify a semi-opera often left in the shadows of the operatic canon, exploring its musical brilliance, political undertones, and storytelling quirks. This episode is perfect for opera newcomers and fans alike—full of historical context, musical analysis, laughter, and engaging explanations of 17th-century England’s sociopolitical climate.

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Main Themes & Purpose

• Demystifying “King Arthur”: Making sense of its unique form, mythic backdrop, and absence of expected Arthurian figures.
• Politics and Patriotism: Exploring the opera as an expression of British identity during a turbulent era.
• Operatic Structure & Performance: How the music, choral writing, and staging choices create its impact, and the challenges of modern presentation.
• Myth, Magic, and Machinery: The role of supernatural elements and spectacle in Purcell’s and Dryden’s storytelling.
• The Joy of Discovery: Celebrating lesser-known operas and making opera accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Introducing Gerald Malone and Getting Comfortable with Opera

• [00:27–02:23]
  Pat introduces Gerald, highlighting his opera expertise and playful "scuttlebutt" column mediated by his late West Highland Terrier, Muckle.
  • “Co presenting this with you is probably now the star in my firmament.” – Gerald ([01:51])
• The pair stress that understanding opera before seeing it enhances enjoyment and encourage listeners to seek out live performances.

2. Historical Backdrop: The Political Earthquake of Late 17th-Century Britain

• [04:22–07:50]
  The opera’s creation amid royal turnover, religious strife, and the Glorious Revolution.
  • Dryden’s and Purcell’s allegiances and the political necessity of celebrating British Protestantism.
  • “Glorying Britain and William and Mary was a central political purpose.” – Gerald ([06:31])
• Theaters’ reopening and the return of public performance after the Commonwealth.

3. Purcell and Dryden: The Librettist/Composer Dream Team

• [08:33–09:48]
  Purcell’s brief but prolific career, and Dryden’s standing as an English poet.
  Comparison to Purcell’s other semi-operas (e.g., “Dido and Aeneas,” “The Fairy Queen”).
• The shifting thematic focus—from classical myths (“Dido”) to politically pointed British legend (“King Arthur”).

4. Myth vs. Expectation: There Is No (Singing) King Arthur

• [09:50–11:18]
  King Arthur is talked about but never appears as a singing character; no Round Table, Guinevere, or Lancelot.
  • “There’s no Guinevere, there’s no Lancelot, there’s no Round Table.” – Gerald ([10:18])
• Explanation of the English “semi-opera” form—crossword between theater and sung interludes/masks.

5. Act I: Britons vs. Saxons, Sacrifice, and Satire

• [11:18–16:58]
  The opera quickly pivots to the Saxons’ sacrificial rites—animal and human—praying to Woden, Freya, and Thor, with comic and political undertones.
  • “Brave souls to be renowned in story. You really want to go and do this? Run to the slaughter, and they say, die and reap the fruit of glory.” – Gerald ([15:23])
• Beautiful choral writing and “sumptuous” music.
• All the epic battle takes place offstage (likely due to practical theater limitations).
  • "This is an opera that shows you all the boring bits. But saying it so beautifully..." – Gerald ([21:28])

6. Semi-Opera Staging: The Role of Narration and Adaptation

• [22:00–24:58]
  Challenge with lost original dialogue; necessity of narration in modern performances to bridge sung episodes.
  • “You’ve got to have a way to tell this story…that was done in Purcell’s day.” – Pat ([23:53])

7. The Supernatural Contest: Merlin, Spirits, and the Battle of the Choruses

• [25:30–36:00]
  Introduction of Merlin (good sorcerer), Oswald and his sorcerer Osmund (bad), and their airy and earthy spirits: Philidel (repentant, now good) and Grimbold (earthy, loyal to the Saxons).
• “If you and I were walking down the street and we encountered an earthy or an airy spirit, Pat, would you be able to tell the difference?” – Gerald ([27:09])

8. Act II: ‘This Way, That Way’—Misdirection and Comic GPS

• [27:59–35:25]
  The spirits’ competing choruses try to lure Britons to safety or their doom.
  • "It's the battle of the choruses and Philidel wins...your GPS has gone to the blink." – Gerald ([29:24]/[35:25])
• Dramatic and musical playfulness; eventual victory for Philidel, Grimbold’s disappearance “with a flash.”

9. Diversion and Pastoral Comic Relief: Shepherds & Naughty Flutes

• [36:06–44:14]
  Introduction of Emmeline (blind, betrothed to Arthur) and her friend Matilda.
• Scene featuring suggestive flirtation over “flutes” (marriage required before acceptance!)
  • “I'm somewhat surprised that the censor didn't climb in at this stage…these flutes are exceptionally naughty.” – Gerald ([39:59])
  • Notable quote: “No flutes until there’s a marriage contract.” – Pat ([40:34])

10. Dark Turn: Abduction, Enchantment, and the Spectacle of Magic

• [45:38–49:16]
  Emmeline and Matilda are kidnapped by Oswald, sparking a rescue mission.
• Grimbold’s magical fortification; Arthur and company face terrifying illusions as they attempt a rescue.
  • “Arthur is far braver than they are. They all run away, stand still, one of them hides behind a tree...trees are illusions as well.” – Gerald ([48:00])

11. Act III: The Famous Frost Scene—Cold Genius Awakes

• [51:02–58:13]
  Osmond attempts to freeze Emmeline’s heart; Cupid intervenes, waking the “Cold Genius” (embodiment of the frozen land), leading to Purcell’s orchestral “shivering” effects—a highlight for music lovers.
  • “One of Purcell’s very clever tricks is to use the orchestra...to conjure up this great feeling of cold...picked up by Vivaldi...extremely powerful.” – Gerald ([55:54])
• Cold Genius aria: “Let me, let me freeze again to death.” ([74:18])

12. Librettist & Composer Partnership: Dryden and Purcell

• [64:14–68:30]
  Commendation for Dryden’s poetic flexibility and partnership with Purcell; reflection on the importance of accomplished writers in opera.

13. Opera Helmet Quiz: Recap and Role-Call

• [68:31–71:48] Gerald delivers a lively, humorous summary of key plot beats thus far.

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14. Act IV: Temptations, Illusions, and the Tests of Arthur

• [82:23–89:12]
  Osmund conjures seductions and magical temptations (nymphs, sylvans) to distract Arthur; he withstands them.
  • "I'm holier than thou!...Arthur resists the sirens and moves on..." – Gerald ([84:29])
• More illusions: Emmeline appears to be trapped in a bleeding tree (it's a trick!), Grimbold is captured.

15. Resolution: Single Combat, Reconciliation, and Patriotic Triumph

• [90:13–94:09]
  Oswald is released, proposes single combat with Arthur; generosity and unity win out.
  • “It’s an amazing comment on the cleverness of a politician to extend mercy, to bring into the fold…” – Pat ([91:46])
• The final act launches into mythic and patriotic celebration: Britannia, fishermen, Pan, peasants, and more.

16. Act V: Peasant Merriment and Glorious Patriotism

• [95:27–113:01]
  Folk-inspired choruses celebrate British prosperity and peace; all mythic gods lend support.
  • Brexit jokes and metaphors tie England’s past and present ([96:20]).
  • “...it's a blindingly brilliant story. Spirits, love and human life. All human life is in this opera.” – Gerald ([113:30])

17. Grandeur of the Order of the Garter and St. George

• [108:02–110:30] Explanation of the Order’s symbolism, historical origins, and its place in the final patriotic choruses.
  • “Bringing St. George in and tying him in with the Garter is a very important political statement.” – Gerald ([109:35])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [06:31] “Glorying Britain and William and Mary was a central political purpose.” – Gerald
• [15:23] “Brave souls to be renowned in story...run to the slaughter and they say, die and reap the fruit of glory.” – Gerald
• [21:28] “There’s an argument for saying that this is an opera that shows you all the boring bits...But saying it so beautifully...” – Gerald
• [29:24] “Your GPS has gone to the blink...It's a chorus of this way, that way...” – Gerald
• [40:34] “No flutes until there’s a marriage contract.” – Pat
• [55:54] “One of Purcell’s clever tricks is to use the orchestra...to conjure up this great feeling of cold.” – Gerald
• [68:31] “And I think of this as the GPS chorus. I would advise the Brits to proceed to the route. Firm is the turf and fit for the bearing.” – Gerald
• [84:29] “Holier than thou. Arthur resists the sirens and moves on through the enchanted woodland. But there’s more.” – Gerald
• [91:46] “It’s an amazing comment on the cleverness of a politician to extend mercy, to bring into the fold as opposed to trying to utterly defeat.” – Pat
• [113:30] “This is utterly accessible. It's a blindingly brilliant story. Spirits, love and human life. All human life is in this opera.” – Gerald

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:27 – Pat introduces Gerald, sets the show’s mission
• 04:22 – Historical context: Dryden, Purcell & royal politics
• 09:50 – No singing King Arthur: expectations vs. opera structure
• 11:18 – Saxon sacrifice scene; choral highlights
• 22:00 – The challenge of semi-opera staging and narration
• 27:59 – The battle of spirits: "This way, that way"
• 36:11 – Emmeline and Matilda: shepherd’s diversion and comic subtext
• 45:38 – Abduction, magic fortress, and illusions
• 51:02 – The Frost Scene: Cupid, the Cold Genius, and shivering strings
• 64:14 – On Dryden as librettist/poet
• 68:31 – "Opera Helmet Quiz": brisk, humorous recap so far
• 82:23 – Arthur resists enchanted temptations, more stage magic
• 90:13 – Reconciliation, patriotism, and the uniting of Saxons & Britons
• 95:27 – Peasant choruses, folk merriment
• 108:02 – The Order of the Garter: pageantry and symbolism
• 113:30 – Closing reflections on King Arthur’s accessibility and allure

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Episode Conclusion

Pat and Gerald encourage listeners to embrace "King Arthur" for its accessible music, humor, and depth, and to see opera as a living, evolving art. They celebrate the opera’s blend of satire, romance, spectacle, and patriotism, reasserting the “Opera For Everyone” philosophy:

“This is utterly accessible. It's a blindingly brilliant story. Spirits, love and human life. All human life is in this opera.” – Gerald ([113:30])

They end with congratulations, gratitude, and an open invitation to discover more operatic gems, reminding everyone that opera—mythic or mundane—is truly "for everyone."

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Transcript

[Sam]

Sam.

[Pat Wright]

Welcome to today's edition of Opera for Everyone. I'm your host, Pat Wright, and I'm happy to welcome back, helping me out today with the opera, Gerald Malone. Welcome back, Gerald.

[Gerald Malone]

Well, it's great to be here and thank you, Pat, for pointing out this fabulous opera that I really didn't know very much about, but I. I know too much now, perhaps, but there we are. It's fabulous.

[Pat Wright]

You can never know too much about opera. We're going to be talking about Henry Purcell's King Arthur. But before we say another word about the opera, I would like to say a little bit more about Gerald, who's joining me today. Gerald is a board member with the Metropolitan Opera Club in New York, and he's also their treasurer. He is an opera critic for Reaction Life, an online publication, and he also has a fabulous website that I recommend to you. All the rest is opera.com. lots of your reviews are up there and opinions and. And you even have a little puppy moderating and giving us little scuttlebutt about the opera.

[Gerald Malone]

West Highland Terrier, sadly now deceased, but he still lives on in the opera world called Muckle. And he operates a scuttlebutt column where all the scandal of opera is moderated by a West Highland Terrier who has much more sense than I.

[Pat Wright]

It's a fun site for takes on different productions of opera. And the scuttlebutt, well, it's meant to.

[Gerald Malone]

Be a fun sight, Pat, and as is opera for everyone. And in fact, I would say to you that co presenting this with you is probably now the star in my firmament.

[Pat Wright]

Oh, well, I'm flattered. I'm flattered. Well, we have a good time and we want everyone to feel comfortable engaging with opera, but go see the opera whenever you can. And I have found, personally, the more I know about an opera before I attend one, the more I'm able to enjoy that opera. That's what the show's about.

[Gerald Malone]

And there are operas all around America just now. I mean, I am just back from Des Moines, where I was at the opera festival, which was fantastic, and also Glimmerglass in upstate New York, where they had four main stage performances. So you don't need to go to the big city to see things. And the interesting thing about Des moines was that 80% of the audience was local and they made a great contribution to the community. And it was top class artistically as well.

[Pat Wright]

Yes, yes, on your recommendation, I went and enjoyed the Rake's Progress, and I think Kathleen and I will have a Show on that coming up before too long. And there are. I mean, there are opera festivals all over the world and also then operas that are standing institutions in big cities.

[Gerald Malone]

Enough of our travels this season.

[Pat Wright]

Yes. Let's start off listening to a little bit of the overture to Purcell's King Arth.

[Sam]

Sam.

[Pat Wright]

King Arthur, a dramatic opera by Henry Purcell, with quite an illustrious librettist too, John Dryden.

[Gerald Malone]

Well, John Dryden was the famous poet. He's famous for Absalom and Achitophel, which was a political criticism in poetry. And I think he really marches in a series of Donne Milton Dryden as a famous English poet. Listeners might wonder why I haven't mentioned Shakespeare, but he was a playwright, which is somewhat different. But Dryden was very keen to cooperate with Purcell in doing a little Bretto for this opera. And it's got some very, very funny lines in it. It's terribly humorous and it's politically pointed as well.

[Pat Wright]

It is. And as you watch the opera, it becomes very, very clear there is a political message and in the opera, a celebration of Britishness.

[Gerald Malone]

Well, there's a celebration of Britishness at the end of the day, but this was conceived as an opera in the reign of King Charles II. 1685, he died and the libretta was written in 1684. What happens then? You have James II succeeding to the throne, but only after a huge political row in Britain called the Exclusion Crisis, where a group of politicians wanted the Duke of Monmouth, who was Protestant, to succeed and not James, Duke of York, who was a Catholic. So there was a big row and that split between the Tories, who supported James, Duke of York, and the Whigs, who supported Monmouth and Dryden, who decided that he was going to become a Catholic. When James, Duke of York, came on the throne, suddenly discovered that when he was overthrown and William and Mary acceded to the throne in 1689, that he was out of favor. The Glorious Revolution, albeit it was still a Stuart monarchy because William was the grandson of Charles I and Mary was the daughter of James ii. So they cobbled it together and that.

[Pat Wright]

Was all fine, but they were both Protestant.

[Gerald Malone]

Dryden decided to maintain his Catholic faith in the middle of all this. And high presto, 1691, the opera was staged for the first time, but I think it went through a few changes in the meantime. But glorying Britain and William and Mary was a central political purpose.

[Pat Wright]

Yeah, it's an interesting period, even leading up to the period before you mention you've got. I mean, go back to Henry viii, the establishment of Protestantism in England. You've got Elizabeth, who follows after a little bit, and then we lurch back to the Catholics. I mean, it is going back and forth between Catholics and Protestants there with the Commonwealth happening. Charles II is the king who comes to the throne with the Restoration. It's a tumultuous time in terms of leadership year on, year on. And so celebrating, maybe peace and quiet and prosperity are going to return. I can see how the arts would get behind that.

[Gerald Malone]

Well, that's right. And of course, the theaters had all been shut during the Commonwealth. Of course, that was extremely difficult. And there was a sort of a sense of great relief about staging plays and semi operatic plays like this. And Percell came into his own.

[Pat Wright]

Yes. And also John Dryden, who's working on this piece to celebrate the monarch. He takes a bit of what's supposed to be the beginning part of King Arthur and he makes it a separate opera. Previously, he has a French composer that he connects with, but he really sees his opportunity with Purcell. Purcell does not live to be very old. He dies at age 36. But when he's in his early 30s, Dryden gets in touch with him and shows him this work and says, you're the man to make this happen. And we're really lucky to have this piece. That's this result of these two people working at the top of their craft.

[Gerald Malone]

Yes. And Persil also wrote Dido and Aeneas for people who are familiar with the theme, and that was also a fantastic opera.

[Pat Wright]

Yeah. Late 17th century, for those of you trying to place him in time, so early in our development, what we think of as the development of opera in the modern era. King Arthur is 1691. Dido and Aeneas is earlier yet. And on Opera for Everyone, Kathleen and I, a while back on episode 117, talked about the Faerie Queen, which is one year later than this particular opera. So thank goodness he was as prolific as he was in his short life.

[Gerald Malone]

Yes. But you can see the transition from Dido, which is going back to historical classical characters. King Arthur is mythical, but he has a political point that is related to Britain far more sharply than Dido did that. A classical tale which everybody was familiar with, whereas King Arthur was shaped so that he could get it past the censors and everybody and get it under the radar, but make his political points towards the end of the opera particularly. And he did it very successfully.

[Pat Wright]

Yes, it's quite a celebration.

[Gerald Malone]

Pat, when are we going to fess up that there is no King Arthur in this opera?

[Pat Wright]

Well, that's a fair question. First of all, the King Arthur in this story who's talked about but not presented, he never. We don't see him. He doesn't sing. Well, you might see him in certain productions, but he certainly doesn't sing any of the pieces. It's not the King Arthur of Camelot. We don't have Guinevere, we don't have the Round Table.

[Gerald Malone]

There's no Guinevere, there's no Lancelot, there's no Round Table.

[Pat Wright]

No.

[Gerald Malone]

So everybody should not be expecting that. But there is a battle with the.

[Pat Wright]

Saxons and there is Merlin. Merlin doesn't sing, but Merlin makes his presence felt in this story. I think the way to explain why we don't hear from King Arthur is to explain about this English opera, this dramatic opera. It's a style that we talked about a little bit when Kathleen and I discussed Fairy Queen. There's a bit of a play going on and then we have these musical interludes or these masks as they. And it's more distinct, I think, in the Fairy Queen hear you might have a whole play going on and then we stop for some of these musical pieces. But I honestly feel in this one, as compared to the Faerie Queen, the songs, the arias, the choral pieces that we're going to hear do more to fill out the story of the action.

[Gerald Malone]

They all do. And particularly when you have the characters of good and evil personified in various wizards who frequent the piece and the choruses of the common people, things of that sort, which are very impressive and very amusing.

[Pat Wright]

The choral pieces are sumptuous in this work. Just beautiful. Well, we can mention that it's a five act opera, all taking place in different locations, but it really starts out with a focus on the fact that there's a contest going on between the Britons and the Saxons.

[Gerald Malone]

It's a surprisingly modern piece insofar as you could read it across to the difficulties that Britain had recently with Brexit. It's exactly the same. There's the assertion of nationhood and King Arthur is trying to assert the Anglo nation and the Saxons he has chased by the time the opera opens into Kent. For those unfamiliar with English geography, that's at the bottom right hand corner of the map of England. Anyway, they are in Kent and there is a war going on and they're trying to re establish themselves and to lure the Britons into doing something foolish and chasing them and having them all killed.

[Pat Wright]

Yes, and quite interesting for an opera called King Arthur to open this act one is going to Focus on the Saxons and their preparations for battle.

[Gerald Malone]

Well, getting ready for battle involves sacrifices. White horses, a Friesland cow. It's interesting that they described the breed that was very precise and it was two horses. So you have three sacrifices, but then there are six people, warriors who are sacrificed as well, and they have to be marched off and slaughtered. And that seems to be their way of the Saxons of ensuring that they're going to have good luck in battle.

[Pat Wright]

Yes. There's a piece that I'd love to listen to right now where they're thanking and pleading with Woden. So Dryden spent some time looking into this Norse mythology and they will mention Vodin and Freya and Thor.

[Gerald Malone]

Well, these are the three gods and that is why you had three sacrifices, two horses and a cow. They were very demanding. And it's interesting that Freya, of course, emerges much later on in Wagner as the goddess of the earth.

[Pat Wright]

Yes. Yes, it is. Let's listen to a little bit of the two men and then the chorus thanking and pleading for help to Voden.

[Sam]

And I'm.

[Pat Wright]

They're singing about the animal sacrifice just there. But now we're going to transition and we're going to hear about the human sacrifice.

[Gerald Malone]

And what a chorus that is to encourage the people who are about to be slaughtered, brave souls to be renowned in story. You really want to go and do this? Run to the slaughter and they say, die and reap the fruit of glory. So they're going to be glorious people. And in a sense they're saying, for the six unlucky victims, it's your lucky day, not your unlucky day. And that is what it takes to appease the gods.

[Sam]

Sam. ALL THAT cries.

[Opera Singer/Chorus]

Death is rising.

[Sam]

Sam. Ram.

[Pat Wright]

Oh, those poor sacrificial victims. But they're being held up as sacrificial victims from one's own. Peoples often are. They are being thanked and glorified for the good of the community. But we're not done with this whole scene of the Saxons.

[Gerald Malone]

We find ourselves in Woden's hall and in a tremendous altar area which describes the temples and the ivy round the hall. It's very figurative and it illustrates the fact that while they're doing the slaughter, they can also do some celebrating, because having snuffed out these six people, it's laughing and dancing all round.

[Pat Wright]

Yes. And they will quaff the juice that makes the Britons bold.

[Gerald Malone]

Not only had they tried to steal the country, but they're stealing the juice that makes their opponents bold. They understand how to fight these Brits they're devilish.

[Opera Singer/Chorus]

I call, I call, I call you all to wardens all for temples round with ivy vowed in God's ground and plenteous plenty Plenteous bowls and plenteous, plenteous bowls of burnished gold where he shall knock and dance and walk where you shall knob and dance and more the juice that makes the Britons bold the juice that makes a Britons bold where you shall laugh and dance we shall dark and nuts and war the juice that makes the juice that makes our Britons cold the juice that makes the jewels that makes our Britons bold.

[Sam]

The Jews that make the Jews that made the.

[Gerald Malone]

And the Britons take the Saxons on and they win. The Saxons quit their ground. All their musical instruments are languishing in their sound and we have a wonderful tenor singing. They fly, they fly, they fly. Victoria, Victoria. The bold Britons cry.

[Pat Wright]

It's so interesting that we've got. Offstage, they lead the sacrificial victims offstage. That's where that takes place. And this entire huge battle that they've been preparing for. Saxons in Britain's battle, it all happens, we're told that there's some sounds of drums and things happening. But we conclude this act with that very description that you give, where we're told, yep, the Saxons are defeated, the Britons have won.

[Gerald Malone]

There's an argument for saying that this is an opera that shows you all the boring bits.

[Pat Wright]

But saying it so.

[Gerald Malone]

Beautifully, if it was Arthur impossible 3 without any of the wars and whatever, well, that all happens off stage and we'll tell you that the fainting Saxons have quit their ground. We'll do all that and we'll also narrate that the victory is won. But we're not going to show it to you because that's too expensive to stage. I'll bet that was one of the reasons, if in a semi staged opera you're not going to have a battle scene, are you?

[Pat Wright]

No, no. And let's talk for a moment about this type of opera, this semi staged opera. We know that there was a lot of dialogue that went on that was never fully captured. In fact, the CD that we're listening to today by Les Arts Floresson, William Christie, done in the end of the 20th century, they tried very hard, very hard to do all the research and find the original dialogue. And they said it was just chaotic to try to find the script essentially that goes between the libretto of all of the songs. So the songs we have all the words for, that's clear, that's in the historical record. But all the other speaking parts which are important in this presentation are bits and pieces made up. You and I have both seen different productions of this. I think the most effective one I saw used a wonderful narrator who was given lines very much in the style of the singing and told us what was going on between the musical parts. But it can also be acted out what was going on between the musical parts.

[Gerald Malone]

I was really glad that you steered me to that show because the narrator was essential, making the audience understand what was happening. I saw another one which was a French take on it, which was designed to highlight the comical parts. That wasn't so good because this is a truly dramatic opera and the one that you pointed me to was terribly dramatic. And they had the actors on the stage were the singers and they went through the motions. So that was partly semi staged as well. And it was very, very effective.

[Pat Wright]

Yeah, you've got to have a way to tell this story. I mean, some presentations might even skip the story altogether and just enjoy this beautiful music. But if you're trying to be operatic and tell the story where the music fits in around the story, you need some fashion to do this. And that was done in Purcell's day. They did have a presentation of the actors in bits. I mean, the battle was always told to be off stage, but the results, some of the interactions of characters as we move along. We're only at the end of Act 1 at this point of our five act opera, but there has to be some way, and that's a challenge for anyone presenting it today. And something that needs to be filled in, because we know in operas the music and the words that are married together in a libretto with the music that stays as it is. But any spirit, spoken dialogue, there's a lot of freedom for people presenting these works of art to change those around, to modify, to cut, to embellish, to make their presentation work.

[Gerald Malone]

Especially when it's not recitative, as you get to in Mozart, where you get the explanation of what's going on and the recitative, you get the feelings of the characters and the arias. Here you get the sentiments of the people in the arias and all the choruses, but the narrator actually speaks the words, which comes out with an amazing clarity and drives the action on, I think, extremely well.

[Pat Wright]

Yeah, yeah. The story's not fully told in the music that is clear. Well, the Britons have won.

[Gerald Malone]

The fainting Saxons have quit their ground.

[Pat Wright]

That's what we're told. That's what we're told. And we get to Move into a different sort of world because up till now it has been human world 100%. But from its earliest days, all through, definitely all through the 17th century, the focus on the supernatural was part of what opera was all about, part of what an audience expected. It's part of what the people creating these operas embraced, this embrace of the supernatural, different forces at work. Well, we know with Arthur, Merlin, his sorcerer is in touch with the supernatural. But we've got on the one hand King Arthur, the king of the Britons has his sorcerer Merlin and then there's a helping spirit that helps Merlin and helps Arthur. Philadel, she's an airy spirit.

[Gerald Malone]

She's a repentant airy spirit because she's crossed sides.

[Pat Wright]

Yes, she's joined the good side as this presentation has it.

[Gerald Malone]

She's a goodyear.

[Pat Wright]

Yeah, she's moved over because on this other side, the king that he has defeated of the Saxons, that's King Oswald and we'll hear him referred to in this story. And he has a sorcerer. Oswald's sorcerer is Osmund.

[Gerald Malone]

There's a sorcerer's apprentice, Grimbold.

[Pat Wright]

Yes, that's a spirit. That's his earthy spirit as opposed to Philadelph, the airy spirit helping Arthur and Merlin. Grimbold, this earthy spirit helps Osmund and Oswald.

[Gerald Malone]

I'm not sure I would know the difference. If you and I were walking down the street and we encountered an earthy or an airy spirit, Pat, would you be able to tell the difference? Maybe you could.

[Pat Wright]

Oh yeah, sure. The airy one would be flying up by my head and the earthy one would be down by my feet.

[Gerald Malone]

I'll rely on you. Okay.

[Pat Wright]

Well, I don't know.

[Gerald Malone]

That's a very realistic way of looking at it.

[Pat Wright]

Maybe too realistic. But these are these supernatural forces that are at play expected in opera and very much so here. But we also know that's a long standing part of the Arthur mythology to have Merland and his supernatural forces helping out. Well, we're going to be full on with supernatural forces as this contest between the Saxons and the Britons continues.

[Gerald Malone]

But it continues through subterfuge because the Britons have won and they think that's all over. But they decide that it's a good idea to maybe pursue the Saxons into Kent and get rid of them completely. There's a cross channel ferry leaving from Dover at some point that will send them back to the continent. But they're not going to go and catch that voluntarily. They're going to have to chase them and the Saxons use this as an opportunity because what they do is they get Grimbled to dress as a shepherd and to say to them, you can go this way, it's all very safe. Here be the Saxons. And the truth of the matter is that he is going to lead them to a cliff and they will fall to their deaths. But Philadelph, who is the repentant spirit, splits on the Saxons and she tells Merlin what they're up to so he can do something about it.

[Pat Wright]

Yes, in this piece where the Britons are trying to go pursue the Saxons again, we're not seeing that piece of it, but we're hearing these spirit choruses say, come this way hither, this way, hither this way, this way, bend. And we're getting both groups of the Grimbald spirit chorus and Philadelph spirit chorus trying to lead the Britons in the correct direction. And it can't be easy to be a Briton at this point.

[Gerald Malone]

Well, it can't be, because your GPS has gone to the blink. You might be wanting to get to Kent, but you're being told to go this way and that way. And it's returned to route and Philadelphia eventually is successful.

[Sam]

Those are fast in loing night wafted fall and near my spines. Trust them not for the deceiving. Trust them not for the. This way, this way, this way, this.

[Opera Singer/Chorus]

Way, this way, this way, this way.

[Sam]

This way, this way, this way, this way. Your mind this way, this way, this way. If you stand no longer thinking turn and he.

[Pat Wright]

This is opera for everyone and we are listening to and talking about King Arthur, the opera semi opera by Henry Purcell. 1691 was the date that it premiered. And what gorgeous music. But we've got these spirits at work trying to lead or mislead the Britons pursuing the Saxons.

[Opera Singer/Chorus]

Let not a moon born as mislead ye form your prey and form your glory Too far Alas, he has bit already all the things at way before he sometimes served and sometimes one. Honey, honey, honey, honey, honey, honey, honey, honey, honey, honey all see see the footsteps plain of hearing that chaos was the CH of L and fit for bearing beyond the pearly tunes align Ah. He cannot then be gone. Honey, honey, honey, honey, honey, honey, honey, honey, honey, honey on.

[Sam]

Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on. And Prince what all your way shall be. What all your way shall be.

[Gerald Malone]

And it's the battle of the choruses and Philadelph wins. Eventually they all incline to Philadelph. They don't go over the cliff that would actually be the end of the opera. It would therefore be a very short opera. But it doesn't happen. Grimbold curses Philadelph and disappears with a flash. Because that's what happens if you're unsuccessful in magic. You suffer the fate of disappearing with a flash. Yes, and Arthur gives huge thanks that this particular fiend has vanished. For now, I have to give you a spoiler alert.

[Pat Wright]

Yes, we're not done with Grimbold yet, but now we have some new characters entering in. They're not singing characters, but they are important to the story.

[Gerald Malone]

Emmaline and Matilda. Emmeline is blind and has been since birth, and that is figurative, as you will see. It's a metaphor for something which we'll discover later on. And Matilda is her friend.

[Pat Wright]

Yes, her companion. Matilda is with Emmeline. And Emeline is betrothed to King Arthur. She is the daughter of the Duke of Cornwall. And this is going to be a wonderful royal marriage. Hasn't happened yet, but as you can imagine, King Arthur must protect, defend and keep her safe.

[Gerald Malone]

Well, he certainly needs to, because the Saxons are after her as well, and so she is being fought over. But in this moment, she and Matilda appear and it's time for a diversion. I think a diversion is always a good thing in opera.

[Pat Wright]

Yes.

[Gerald Malone]

Yeah, well, it is. And we've got to celebrate. And they're celebrating the shepherds and how happy their lasses are. And as it's time for a diversion, Emmeline and Matilda decide to summon up a shepherd and a chorus of shepherds, because there are plenty of them around.

[Opera Singer/Chorus]

Bright hymns of Britain with grace and contented Let not your days without pleasure Expire honours but empty and when Youth is ended 1Ben will pass you, but none will disown Let not youth fly away without contending Age will come, time enough for your revenge.

[Sam]

Raises.

[Pat Wright]

Now that we're ready for our diversion, we need to explain, talk about, introduce. The flutes that the shepherds have, they're.

[Gerald Malone]

Very good flutes and they offer them to the maidens, but I'm afraid to say they're metaphorical flutes.

[Pat Wright]

They are indeed metaphorical flutes. And the men, the shepherds are very eager for the women, the shepherdesses, to accept their flutes.

[Gerald Malone]

I'm somewhat surprised that the censor didn't climb in at this stage. He must have been having a day off because these flutes are exceptionally naughty.

[Pat Wright]

I'm going to advise everyone listening to listen very carefully to the women singing in this next piece they're going to speak about. I mean, I love this Line. But after a little toying with the flute, women have the shot to pay. Here are the marriage vows for signing.

[Gerald Malone]

For those not quick in the uptake. If you fiddle with the flute, you'll become pregnant. That's what that means.

[Pat Wright]

Yes. No. No flutes. No flutes until there's a marriage contract. Let's listen to these shepherdess.

[Sam]

Sam Sa but a liter of the toy. Women have a sh to pay. She will cheaper a lady coin by sustained summer's day. Not a l toy. We didn't have a sh to pay here a marriage house for sign since the box that cannot ride after that without.

[Gerald Malone]

And the next thing the women come in with their demands and their marriage contracts. They've been to see the lawyers.

[Pat Wright]

Well, interestingly enough, the men accept these contracts. They are signed. And now we can enjoy the flutes.

[Gerald Malone]

They're not foolish. It's far better to have a contract than a lonely flute.

[Pat Wright]

That was a lovely diversion. Everyone chuckled and had a good time, dancing, singing. And the shepherds. And shepherdesses go on their way to handle the sheep, I imagine.

[Gerald Malone]

Well, I hope that not handling the flutes.

[Pat Wright]

I don't know. They got their marriage contracts.

[Sam]

Sa Sam.

[Pat Wright]

With Emmaline and Matilda. Not singers. Actors on stage left alone. Suddenly they scream. They're in great danger.

[Gerald Malone]

They're in great danger. They're under attack by Oswald, who's captured them and he's taken them both. And Oswald has a plan of conquest because he's going to use them to barter. Or what he would prefer to do would be to win in battle and make Emmeline his queen. But interestingly, he doesn't intend to force her to do that. He tends to do it by consent. So he's also handing her a contract of one sort or another. But it's not a very welcome contract.

[Pat Wright]

Well, no. So he's the opposing king, he's the Saxon king, and the prize is to win Emmeline to be his bride. So he's not going to force himself. But he figures, hey, if as long as I win this battle, I'll be the top guy she'll desire me.

[Gerald Malone]

And there's a discussion with Arthur and Oswald at this point, a parley. But it doesn't work. And the Britons have to prepare themselves to rescue Emmeline from the Saxon fortress.

[Pat Wright]

Yes, and it's quite well fortified because Grimbold has cast a spell to make sure it's fortified. And it's time to see what Merlin can do to help.

[Gerald Malone]

Having listened to this opera, I'm going to ditch my alarm company and phone Grimbald, because if you cast spells around your house, it is clearly exceptionally effective, whereas burglar alarms are not. But that is what he'd done. And it's full of traps, magic horrors that have been put around the fortress to protect it and to keep the Brits out.

[Pat Wright]

Right. And part of the defense are illusions, frightening specters that are, as Arthur's forces are trying to go, storm the castle. There are just these horrible things that they're seeing. But Merlin keeps telling Arthur, it's only an illusion. Be brave, it's only an illusion. And he tries to tell the rest of Arthur's forces the same thing, but what they're seeing is terrifying.

[Gerald Malone]

Arthur is far braver than they are. They all run away, stand still, one of them hides behind a tree, but that's not going to be very effective because we all know that trees are illusions as well. So that's not going to hide him for any moment.

[Pat Wright]

Yeah, this is very much in keeping with that supernatural world that people expected to see in opera. And also an opportunity, a great opportunity for this stage machinery, which was hugely important to making an impressive multimedia spectacle, that these operas were expected to be and typically were in this period of time. And we expect some sort of an extravaganza when we see the opera today. But imagine you don't have movies, tv, special effects. This was it, opera was it, when you could see this kind of other world, not just in your imagination, but on a stage. And this is a great section of the story to really take advantage of that. Well, the Britons have fled, with the exception of Arthur, but Merlin and Arthur aren't strong enough to actually affect a rescue of Emmaline and Matilda at this point.

[Gerald Malone]

But Merlin has a potion. It's always, always a good idea to have a potion. He's shot off while the Brits are being deluded to the chemists, and he's got a magic potion to restore Emmaline's sight. And all this is a lead on very complicated fashion to explain why we're going to come to the next scene, the frost scene, which was de rigueur to put in the opera, but it is sort of extraneous but great fun. So she experiences a warm sensation, described as frozen, melting in her eyes. So you're beginning to get there. Being some cold in the offing. Emmeline sees things. She sees light for the first time, shapes trees, Matilda, she even looks in a mirror and she sees, most importantly, Arthur, motionless and smiling. And there's a gentle kiss exchanged and that's very touching. Osmund the magician had pursued her.

[Pat Wright]

Arthur. Sadly, Arthur can't rescue her. He's unable at this point to rescue her. He wants to.

[Gerald Malone]

So it's only Merlin who can rescue her. And he needs Merlin to confront Osmund. Osmund has the machinery of dark arts and claims to be a friend. And the status quo is broken by Osmund hitting the ground with his wand. And instead of where they are, they find themselves in a desolate, wintry country fixed in a frozen landscape. And that is how we get to the very important frost scene.

[Pat Wright]

Yes, yes. And just to note, before this, Osmond, this magician, theoretically in the employ, working for King Oswald the Saxon, he's thrown Oswald into prison because Osmond, this sorcerer, desires Emmaline, just as King Oswald desires Emmaline, and Osmund is the sorcerer, so he throws the King in prison and he thinks, all right, it's my turn.

[Gerald Malone]

Let's get on. Hit the ground running.

[Pat Wright]

Yes, I will have Emmaline for myself. And you're right, when he hits the ground and we move to this frost scene, it's because Emmaline also has frozen. I mean, there's layers of these expressions and reality of cold and things freezing. Emmaline freezes in terror as he tries to force himself on her. So, child, remind me, why exactly does Osmund decide that the right thing to do at this point is strike the ground and cause it to be frozen? Winter.

[Gerald Malone]

Emmaline has seen Osmund for the first time as absolutely terrified and has refused his advances. But he decides that love will thaw her. And he demonstrates this by using his magic wand to change Britain's mild climate to Iceland and the farthest Thuls frost. This is climate change three centuries before you'd ever heard of it.

[Pat Wright]

It's with magical travel. Yeah, yeah. Well, when we show up in this frost scene, as it's called, interestingly, the first character we hear from in song is Cupid. Why is Cupid here?

[Gerald Malone]

Cupid's always a very useful character jumping into operas. No more so than here. And Cupid has a great idea. What ho, thou genius of this isle? What ho liest thou asleep between those hills of snow? So the genius of Britain is somebody who's lying underneath it, and Cupid urges them to stretch out thy lazy limbs. Awake, awake and winter from thy furry mantle shake. I think this is simply a device to have a great genius and a great aria.

[Pat Wright]

Yes, well, this Cupid piece here, Cupid, by the way, sung by a soprano, feels a little bit like recitative. Here she is. He is upon this scene and again, we've moved away from our central characters to this supernatural world. But she's going to wake up, this genius. And the person who's going to sing in the next bit that we'll hear from a singer is called the cold genius. But. But could you talk a little bit about this use of the word genius? Because it's not how we typically use it today.

[Gerald Malone]

No, it's not. It's simply a character, an opera that's brought on to achieve something. And it's what I would describe as a transition moment in the opera where you move from one scene to another to just keep the audience's interest. And somebody had dreamt up the plan. Let's have a cold scene and let's have a cold genius who is the person who can embody it.

[Pat Wright]

Yes, yes, it's a spirit of an essential piece of a spirit of a thing or a place. But let's hear a little bit from Cupid as she comes upon this frozen scene and this embodiment of the cold. What she says.

[Sam]

What ho, what ho? O genius of this isle. What ho, what ho, what ho now dost thou as big be those hills of snow? What ho, what ho, what ho. Str. Stretch out thy lazy limbs. Awake, awake, awake, underwent thou from thy fury mantle shake. Awake, awake, underwent thou from my body.

[Gerald Malone]

One of Purcell's very clever tricks is to use the orchestra in a way that it was never used before and to conjure up this great feeling of cold. And what do you do when you shiver? You shake. And he uses the violins to do that in a very effective way. And it was in fact picked up by what, probably what listeners will be more familiar with, which is Vivaldi's four seasons some 40 years later. If you listen to Winter, you can hear exactly the same technique as Purcell used in the cold Genius, and it is extremely powerful. Not only that, but he gets the cold genius to sing in short bursts of breath just as if you were being woken up and you were shivering to death. It had me shivering throughout.

[Pat Wright]

So right now we're going to hear a little bit of this orchestral evocation of the cold.

[Sam]

Sam Sa.

[Pat Wright]

You're listening to Opera for Everyone, a radio show and podcast that embraces drama and story through love of music. Opera for Everyone airs Sundays from 9 to 11am Mountain Time on 89.1 Khol, Jackson, Wyoming's only community radio station. I'm your host, Pat Wright, joined today by Gerald Malone. If you'd like to hear more conversations about opera, please join us on the Opera for Everyone podcast. And if you subscribe and rate us, you'll be helping with our mission to bring opera to everyone by helping others find this show. Stay with us. The second half of today's show is coming right up.

[Sam]

Foreign.

[Pat Wright]

Welcome back to the second half of Opera for Everyone. I'm your host, Pat Wright and I'm here with Gerald Malone, who is the opera critic for Reaction Life. He is on the board of Metropolitan Opera Club in New York and he has a fabulous website, therestisopera.com your commercials are the best. I'm just so grateful that you're here with me to talk about opera. Your experience with opera is so rich and your love for the art is. It's like mine.

[Gerald Malone]

Well, I love it. As an ordinary person and a kid who first went to the opera and found it completely magical and was sucked in, I don't purport to be an expert in any way, but I really enjoy my opera and I see as much of it as I can and I really hope that other people will realize it's such an accessible art form and it is so compelling. It tells the story in the most powerful way possible. And there are many stories in opera.

[Pat Wright]

Honestly, I have been amazed to learn about how many stories there are you tend to see presented often. A lot of the names are familiar and they, they pop up year to year, but then there are little gems that pop up less frequently. And I would certainly put this opera, King Arthur by Henry Purcell, in that category. It doesn't pop up often, but the glorious music that we've been listening to.

[Gerald Malone]

And it's a great opera, I think, for people who know the legend of King Arthur to follow because this takes it in a totally different track and it tells the story of the conflict between Arthur and the Saxons and it is real British history instead of the mythological legends that we're more familiar with. But yet it's still got all the characters. It's got Merlin, it's got the evil Oswald, it's got magic. It's got everything that opera should have.

[Pat Wright]

It really does. And it also is working towards a purpose, using this mythology, this legend, to then bolster in Purcell's own time, the self image of the Britons.

[Gerald Malone]

He and Dryden were making a political point when they wrote King Arthur because it was meant not to be just a paean to the Brits, but it was meant to be a critique of the time we were getting foreign kings coming into Britain and he took a poke at William and Mary, particularly William. Mary was really all Right. But William was a Dutchman and there are some very funny lines criticizing that, and we'll discover how funny that is when we get into part two.

[Pat Wright]

Yes, yes. Well, before we go any further, I want to say thank you to the artists involved in creating this glorious, glorious rendition of the Purcell music that we've been listening to. This was a recording made in Paris in 1995 with William Christie, the wonderful William Christie, who focuses on so much of this older opera repertoire, leading Les Arts Floresant.

[Gerald Malone]

And the singers are Veronique, Jen's soprano, Not surprising that you're getting some French in Paris. Claren McFadden, again, soprano. Sandrine Pio, soprano, who I've heard quite often recently. She's still on the circuit. Susanna Waters, soprano. Mark Padmore, the famous tenor, or as he is described here on the COVID as a tenor. Ian Patton, a tenor. Jonathan Best, bass. Peteri Saloma, bass. And Francois Basola, bass.

[Pat Wright]

Or we might say bass.

[Gerald Malone]

No, it's a bass. It is a bass. We're in Paris, Les Arts in Paris, so everybody else will know them as a bass. We can call them a bass. But it's a really, really fantastic lineup. And William Christie was exceptionally good at pulling all these people together who were at the top of their game. And his Les Arts Florissant just delivers the most wonderfully fluid music, I think.

[Pat Wright]

Yes, yes. We're so grateful to have it. I'm so happy I was able to locate this cd. And thank you everyone for this gorgeous, gorgeous music. And you'll notice Gerald didn't say which role was sung by which singer, but that's because of the nature of this. We're not having our major characters presented through singing.

[Gerald Malone]

They also sing several roles and I think for our listeners to have to parse that would be too difficult.

[Pat Wright]

Yeah, absolutely. Well, I also want to take a moment to circle back and talk about Dryden a little bit, who is more or less a generation older than Pecel. He was very happy to have gotten connected up with Purcell and he. I mean, he was a writer, after all, and he thought very deeply about what it meant to write for opera. And he was such an accomplished man. He had been for quite a long time, the Poet Laureate of Great Britain.

[Gerald Malone]

He was the first.

[Pat Wright]

Well, there you have it. So somebody of great achievement. But he was very self conscious of taking. Subservient is probably not the right word, but taking a role in service of the music. When he worked with Purcell, there's several bits that he's written either in introductions or in some Other format about the job of the librettist in relationship to the composer. But I wanted to share one of them, where he writes, the numbers of poetry and vocal music are so contrary, in other words, the requirements that in many places I have been obliged to cramp my verses and make them rugged to the reader so that they may be harmonious to the hearer, of which I have no reason to repent, because these sorts of entertainment are principally designed for the ear and the eye. And therefore, in reason of my art, on this occasion. On this occasion, I ought to be subservient to his Purcell's. Well, there we go. He uses the word subservient, and I.

[Gerald Malone]

Don'T think subservient is right. I think it was a great cooperation.

[Pat Wright]

Yeah, it's like he's apologizing for his verse. I could do better, but I had to work with music.

[Gerald Malone]

Well, he needn't apologize because it's superb verse and it is written to fit the music. And that is too often not the case with English translations. Certainly, I don't think work in opera. German operas sung in English are always very clunky. The vowels never fit, all that sort of thing. Even English National Opera has never really been able to pull that off. And to listen to this, one of the first operas with an English libretto properly written by a good poet is a great thing. And I think he did the world a service by partnering with Purcell and creating this fantastic work. And, you know, it's happening even today. The famous author William Boyd, who's probably better known in Britain than he is in America, he is a very famous author. He wrote his first libretto of an opera, A Visit to Friends, which showed at Aldborough, Benjamin Britten's home, in June. When I went and saw that, I happened to know William, and he was thrilled to be asked to write it. And it's a good thing that proper writers write libretti.

[Pat Wright]

Yes, absolutely. You made me remember seeing the summer season, I saw the Righteous, where Tracy K. Smith, a poet, a poet laureate, in fact, she wrote the libretto for the opera the Righteous. So we do have modern composers and modern poets teaming up to help keep this art form alive and relevant. And these are some very good works of art that are being produced now, just as they were at the end of the 17th century.

[Gerald Malone]

And, you know, it took Mozart and Da Ponte, the famous cooperation, to work really, I think, for Mozart operas. Some of his other operas are not so good with the libretti. And, of course, Richard Wagner decided that librettists were absolutely no Good. And so he'd do it all himself.

[Pat Wright]

Well, he wanted to be in control of everything. Different composers will have different desires and different goals in mind. So this is a great pairing, these two, Dryden and Purcell.

[Gerald Malone]

Fantastic.

[Pat Wright]

All right, I think I've given you enough time. Are you prepared for the opera helmet quiz?

[Gerald Malone]

Well, very exciting to do this. And I think the first thing to remember is that we're in the early 6th century, maybe King Arthur is the king of England. To remind people he's beaten the invading Saxons and he's forced them to retreat to the county of Kent. As I explained, that's in the southeast, it's St. George's Day, so it's a celebration. But the only thing is, he'd done over a dragon and saved Everybody. In the third century, Merlin, the Mr. Useful of medieval times, summons the spirit of the land to help them beat the Saxons. And there's a character introduced, blind Emmeline, who's betrothed to Arthur, or at least linked to him at this stage. And she sees violence in Oswald and the evil spirits of the Saxons. She may be blind, but she's got great foresight. But the Saxons ain't taking this lying down. They're led by the determined Oswald, and as they prepare for battle, they have sacrifices to Woden, Thor and Freya, two horses and a Frisian cow, as one does off to the beaches and six innocent warriors. But the Britons are on the march. And we end Act 1 with a chorus of victory. But the Saxons in Act 2 have not given up. They've packed up their camp in disarray and this is the time for the Brits to finish them off. But they have a plan. Philadelph, who is now in the British camp, betrays a secret plan to Arthur's cronies. Grimbald, an evil wizard, will be disguised as a shepherd who will lead them over a cliff. So they're not going to do that. And there's a chorus of a competing band of spirits leading the Brits this way, that way, this way, that way. And I think of this as the GPS chorus. And I would advise the Brits to proceed to the route. Firm is the turf and fit for the bearing. The spirit, Philadelphia pursues them and Grimball disappears. Turn around where possible, is the message. And they do that. We're back in Arthur's castle. Emmeline and Matilda are bored, so we find that they call up a group of Kentish men and shepherdess to give a show. The men suggestively offer the Ladies, their flutes. The ladies reply, well, we'll do all that if we have marriage contracts. There's joy all round. And then, just when the party is getting going, two women scream. Emmeline and Matilda are captured by Oswald. There's a parley with Arthur. Talks break down. That's not unusual. There's no beautiful peace treaty. And the Brits prepare to recapture Emmeline and Matilda. Oswald will not share the treasure or Emmeline and the kingdom. And in that bombshell, we embark on Act 3, where it gets cold. We have climate change. Cupid wakens the sleeping cold genius of Britain. And I think this is a device to have one of the most fascinating areas that we are about to hear.

[Pat Wright]

Very evocative music we just heard at the end of part one, that pulsing, shivering sound. And it's going to lead into the slow wakening, low male voice. This cold genius of the place, he doesn't want to wake up.

[Gerald Malone]

No. Cupid has to keep sleeping. Staring at me.

[Opera Singer/Chorus]

Bursting sn.

[Sam]

The p e t.

[Opera Singer/Chorus]

O. My breath can scarcely move or draw my breath. Let me, Let me. Let me free again. Let me. Let me freeze again to death. Let me, let me, Let me.

[Gerald Malone]

So there's not just a cold genius. Cupid waves his wand and the whole scene opens up ice and snow and we're in a winter wonderland. And that's introducing a chorus of the cold people.

[Pat Wright]

Everyone's waking up. The cold genius, the chorus of cold people, it is turning more into a wonderland rather than a. A frozen wasteland. And that we are giving credit to Cupid.

[Gerald Malone]

Well, he takes the credit. He takes the credit himself, doesn't he, Pat?

[Pat Wright]

Tis I. Tis I. Tis I. Tis I. Yes, tis I who formed thee.

[Sam]

It's my dark weather. I brought it together. Divine design.

[Opera Singer/Chorus]

Is all is all.

[Pat Wright]

In this frozen wonderland. The cold genius has been wakened by Cupid. The chorus is all in. Tis love. Tis love that has warmed us. And we're gonna get a chance to hear them singing together. Cupid and the cold genius, they become allies.

[Gerald Malone]

Yes, in a sense. And here is Dryden's political knife going in. Because they're singing together and one of the lines is, who pleasure dare seize, but the whining pretender is sure to displease. And that probably refers, I hope, to the Duke of Monmouth. Otherwise, Dryden might be for a long time in the poky.

[Pat Wright]

I don't think he was so got that one through. And they really singing now in praise of love.

[Gerald Malone]

And so warm human sentiment is beginning to drive this Whole opera in a way that it wasn't before. Love is taking over over cunning, magic.

[Pat Wright]

And love was made for a blessing.

[Gerald Malone]

And not for a PA.

[Sam]

When we kneel.

[Opera Singer/Chorus]

We dress when we near before redressing remove Love was made for a blessing Was made for a blessing Love made for a blessing Was made for a blessing and not for a pain Was made for a blessing and enough for a pain.

[Pat Wright]

All is well in the frozen area, our winter wonderland. But we're going to move into Act 4, where things are a little different. And we're going to get back to the challenges that Arthur is facing as he tries to rescue Emmaline.

[Gerald Malone]

Osmond will simply never give up. He's learned that Merlin has broken his spells. But the way forward for the British, Merlin says, is to conquer and rescue Emmeline. But Osmund plans new spells to seduce Arthur with visions of beauty. Beauty the least likely of weapons that leads to temptation. Arthur is walking through enchanted woods. He sees nothing but enchantment all around him. Everything is an illusion. There's a river of silver and a bridge of gold. You'd have to be a bit of an idiot if you're Arthur not to realize that this was enchantment. But on we go.

[Pat Wright]

Oh, but it is enchanting. This is one of, I think, the most lovely pieces in the entire work of art.

[Gerald Malone]

Well, yes, but not half as enchanting as the naked women in the water. And there were pearls of water running down their breasts, apparently. But that didn't take Arthur off his track.

[Pat Wright]

No, but do let's listen to them, inviting him to come bathe with them.

[Gerald Malone]

And I think having listened to this, you'll wonder why he didn't. Come.

[Sam]

Come, come, Come between us and come, come, come, come. Danger, Danger from.

[Gerald Malone]

Holier than thou. Arthur resists the sirens and moves on through the enchanted woodland. But there's more.

[Sam]

For love.

[Opera Singer/Chorus]

Every creature is formed by Jesus.

[Sam]

Tis too late, too late. T is too late to be warm.

[Opera Singer/Chorus]

Let yours the sweet blessing may use the sweet blessing while in voice. No choice, no choice, no choice.

[Pat Wright]

More temptation for Arthur to resist. And he does resist. Those were three nymphs, three sylvans, trying to get him off of his mission.

[Gerald Malone]

How vain were their graces.

[Pat Wright]

The challenges aren't over, however.

[Gerald Malone]

Arthur discovers that the nymphs are twisting around him and he strikes a tree and he fights that tree, driving his sword into the trunk. But look at what he's done.

[Pat Wright]

It's bleeding.

[Gerald Malone]

It's bleeding. And Emmeline is coming out of the tree, extending her arm and her voice is calling to him, and she holds out a hand, blood flows from the bark and she runs forward.

[Pat Wright]

Oh, can you imagine being Arthur? Oh, I've just put my axe into my beloved.

[Gerald Malone]

You should never strike trees in a forest. It always spells danger. You must be a SAP to strike a tree. But not only that, the face of Grimbold appears and there are thunderbolts, because it's not, as it turns out, Emmaline at all. It's all an illusion.

[Pat Wright]

It's always an illusion.

[Gerald Malone]

All an illusion.

[Pat Wright]

Yes.

[Gerald Malone]

Philadelphia captures Grimbold and ties him up.

[Pat Wright]

I mean, this is a lot for Arthur to have to go through. And can you imagine what fun if you were actually trying to depict this all in a stage with machinery and everything? What fun you could have with this, with this scenery. But that's not a sung part of the opera. This is just part of the story that's going on before we move into the next piece.

[Gerald Malone]

And nowadays it's narrated, but that's boring. I bet you. I bet you that when it was being presented in court, that you had the most wonderful machinery and trees and singing trees and all of the rest of it. A fabulous thing to see. And ultimately the spell is broken. Yes, Merlin is always on hand. Break spells. And the road to the Saxon fortress is at last open. With no illusions, the Britons can proceed unopposed.

[Pat Wright]

But Oswald is going to propose single combat, man to man.

[Gerald Malone]

Well, first of all, Osmond, who realizes that the games up, has to free Oswald to allow him to take part in proceedings.

[Pat Wright]

I forgot we'd left him in prison.

[Gerald Malone]

Well, I mean, it's an easy thing to forget about Oswald. He's been locked up by Osmond so long. Yes, what a sad man. He missed the cold genius. But anyway, now that he's back on the scene, he decides to confront the Britons. And Arthur takes the view that war serves no purpose and he and Oswald will fight in single combat to sort things out. Not content with that, the magicians have a fight as well as with the magicians. So with the two men.

[Pat Wright]

Yes, and no surprise. Who wins here?

[Gerald Malone]

Well, but it's a merciful victory because Arthur could finish him off in a moment he's dreamed of. Is here the point of his sword, the end of the person who's chasing his wife, the end of the person who's chasing his kingdom. But then he has a. What would darkness be without light? Ah, you need bad guys to be with the good guys, otherwise they wouldn't be the good guys. How would you know? And he decides that The Britons need the Saxons, yes. Osmund is in a dungeon, however, and Oswald is in penury. And even with that, they're then invited in an act of total generosity, to be allies and Merlin waves his wand.

[Pat Wright]

It's an amazing comment on the cleverness of a politician to extend mercy to bring into the fold as opposed to trying to utterly defeat. And then they may come back and attack again. No, no, no. We're going to bring you in to be with us and we're going to transition to this, this end of combat and this sense of victory and resolution. We're going to transition into that with a tune on the trumpets proclaiming Arthur's victory.

[Sam]

Sam, this is opera for everyone and.

[Pat Wright]

We are talking about King Arthur or the British Worthy by Henry Purcell Libretto by John Dryden We've gotten through four acts of our five act opera and right now we have heard the trumpets. Arthur and his forces are victorious over the Saxons, but they're extending a hand of friendship and consolidation of all of these forces and from here on in.

[Gerald Malone]

It'S all sheer patriotism and propaganda, if I may put it that way. And who best to blow a good story but Aeolus, the God of the wind? He is indeed and he conjures up the spirit of Britain. Blustering, breathless brethren of the skies, retire and let Britannia rise. And this is almost the first time, I think, that the figure of Britannia has been referred to in opera of this kind. And of course it went on to rule Britannia. Thomas, Arne, all of that. And it still dominates the London Proms which runs every summer.

[Opera Singer/Chorus]

Give it a string, breath the skies whose death has ruffled all the water alive and let's.

[Pat Wright]

This final act, this very patriotic act, is also an act that's full of these figures from mythology, myth. That's part of the patriotic effort, bringing them into this familiar pantheon of important figures in Greek myth. Even though they're very self consciously Christian, the Greek mythology supports that.

[Gerald Malone]

Here we have Pan, Nereid, all of that and entire mythology is used to glorify Britain. Britannia is found seated in the island, fishermen at her feet. The tune changes. The fishermen come ashore and dance a while, as fishermen always do, and Pan is there with Nereid. They come on stage and sing the glory of the coast of Britain.

[Pat Wright]

They are singing to, well, peacetime activities. They're being fruitful from the seas, being fruitful from the fields and the harvest. And they're talking about Jason's fleece and British wool, all of these things that are tying into known entities, but relating elements of Britain's at peace time to that glory.

[Gerald Malone]

This is the Brexit moment of this opera because a trade deal is being done for fish, wool and hay and food. So nothing has changed since the days of King Arthur, as far as that's concerned. But I think the important point underpinning the piece is that it brings all these virtues. And let's not forget that the Anglo Saxon arrangement has worked pretty well in Britain for all the centuries that have rolled on since.

[Pat Wright]

Well, and that's what Dryden's trying to tell us here, I think.

[Gerald Malone]

Indeed.

[Pat Wright]

Well, I love this next piece that we're going to listen to. It very much feels like a folk tune almost. We have the God of festivity, revelry, merrymaking, and a chorus of peasants going back and forth with each other, talking about reaping their harvest. And it's just charming.

[Gerald Malone]

What better way to come to the end of a fabulous opera like that, but to have a bunch of lads in a country pub really quaffing the ale and doing the best?

[Opera Singer/Chorus]

Your hate is burned, your corn is reaped Your paths will be foiled and your harm is deep. Come, boys, come Come, boys, come and merry hero at a hobby stone and merry hero at a harvest home Harvest home Harvest home and merry home We've cheated the past and played a gratitude A wise should have been looking I'm one in turn One in turn One in turn from why you shouldn't be looking I'm one in ten but why should I be looking at one in ten? One in ten One in ten for one should look at one in ten for one should look at one in ten Perpetrating so long we like to put Kill your foot Hunting and dumpling up Hurt to hunt, Hurt to hunt Hurt to hunt Keep hunting and dumpling up Hurt to hunt Keep hunting and dumpling up hurt to hunt the honor of holding land holding land, holding land and I for the honor of holding that I fight for the honor of Holy Land.

[Gerald Malone]

And as the peasants sing Old England, Old England Venus appears to sing in the country's support. What I think is one of the most beautiful areas that Purcell wrote, and I think it also stands out in the opera canon. Fairest isle all isles excelling yes, Seat.

[Pat Wright]

Of pleasure and love There's a lot of singing about love in this entire show. And we have Venus, the goddess of love. And we've also had Cupid singing about love.

[Gerald Malone]

And she ends up saying, and as these excel in beauty, those shall be renowned. So love is of huge importance to Dryden in characterizing the country that the Anglo Saxon alliance has led to.

[Sam]

Thousands passion Jesus in.

[Pat Wright]

Yeah, Gerald. In this section, it's just love and more love in our story of King Arthur and the victory of Arthur. But then the uniting with the Saxons here. And there's a beautiful piece simply labeled he and she. These two people, these two individuals come together saying, let us love. I'll be constant, you be kind, you be constant, I'll be kind. It is this marrying of two individuals, but I think also the Britons and the Saxons.

[Gerald Malone]

Well, I think if you don't go away saying that, you're going to change your behavior when you get home with your wife after listening to this, you are in trouble because it says, let us love. Let us love. And to a happiness. Haste, age and wisdom come too fast. Youth for loving was designed. And so it's a very important moral lesson at the end of a highly political opera. Politics and morals all combined and with ordinary people being involved as well. This isn't for people who are distant from the public. These are the swains and the lasses who are actually being talked to in direct terms by Dryden.

[Sam]

Joy with blood of tears.

[Opera Singer/Chorus]

That one soft moment makes amends for all the torment that attends. One soft moment makes amendment for all the torment. Let us, Lord, let us love at all, Let us. I'll be constant, you be kind, I be constant, I be constant, I be constant Unified heaven and a faithful love and kind and kind possession and faithful love and kind and kind possessing and kind and kind and kind possession.

[Pat Wright]

We're going to move from this, this personal celebration of love, even love among groups of peoples, to reminding us where this is based, where this all came from earlier in the opera. And we're going to get back to the brass.

[Sam]

The trumpet tune.

[Gerald Malone]

And here we have the great commercial for Britain. The scene suddenly opens up and we discover the Order of the Garter and honor enters, attended by heroes.

[Pat Wright]

Please explain the Order of the Garter to us.

[Gerald Malone]

There are various stories about British what it is, but it was invented snafu check by Edward III in 1348, so it had nothing to do with Arthur, so it shouldn't be there, but let's forget that. And you know the motto of the Garter is Honi soit qui mali pense. Shame on him who thinks evil of it. And that is because the King was meant to have discovered the Countess of Salisbury's Garter in Calais on the ballroom floor. And the sniggering nobles were put down by the King who said, shame on him who thinks evil of it. He was much in favor of the Garter and it's a great order. There are 24 knights only, all personally selected by the monarch. And it still goes on in this day. It's housed in Windsor Chapel, is its home. And among the Knights of the Garter are Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tony Blair and John Major. So we actually have a composer as a Knight of the Garter.

[Pat Wright]

It's interesting too, that this is 1691. This is being presented to us as absolutely fundamental to Great Britain.

[Gerald Malone]

What it does is it underpins the role of the monarch in being supreme, because it is the only honour that is entirely within the gift of the monarch. And bringing St. George in and tying him in with the Garter is a very important political statement.

[Pat Wright]

And here we're going to have honor and others singing about St. George as the Patron of the Isle of Britain.

[Gerald Malone]

They sing about him, but they can't resist a jibe in the last moments of the opera in the line. But foreign kings adopted here their crowns at home despise so what Dryden is actually saying is, you're welcome over here, but you better forget about that country that you used to be the King of. William Trouble.

[Sam]

St. George, St. George of this auspicious ra.

[Pat Wright]

So we end, well, nearly end, we end our singing with this big choral peace. It's magnificent. We will have a little music at the end here which is going to put together a lot of these ideas, but it's just a celebration to let us come down from the big hype of all this patriotic excitement.

[Gerald Malone]

It is a hype and I think probably audiences at the time went back, really, to go back to the alehouses and carouse and pick up some of the songs that that perso gave them.

[Pat Wright]

Oh, so many good tunes. So many good tunes here. I find myself humming different ones as I've listened to this, and this is an opera I have discovered for myself. Anyway, I enjoy the music more and more every time I hear it.

[Gerald Malone]

I hope listeners won't be put off by the fact that it's an old opera and it's by a composer that's not really known to them. This is utterly accessible. It's a blindingly brilliant story. It's full of action, spirits, love and human life. All human life is in this opera.

[Pat Wright]

It is. It is. Gerald, I want to say thank you so much for joining me to discuss this wonderful opera by absolutely fundamental person in British opera history. Thank you. Thank you very much.

[Gerald Malone]

Well, and thanks to you for leading me down the rabbit hole of King Arthur. It's not an opera that I really knew, but I have found it a fascinating experience to dig into it and to be convinced, as you are, that it is an opera for.

[Pat Wright]

Foreign thanks for listening to this episode of Opera for Everyone. I've been your host today, Pat Wright, joined by opera critic Gerald Malone. Opera for Everyone airs every Sunday morning from 9 to 11am Mountain Time on 89.1 Khol in Jackson, Wyoming. If you've missed any of the today's show, you can find this episode and many others on the Opera for Everyone podcast. And while you're there, please subscribe, rate and comment. By doing this, you'll be helping others to find us. I know opera can be unfamiliar and challenging, but everyone loves a good story, and a story set to music is even better. That's why the mission of this show is to make opera enjoyable for everyone. Opera for Everyone.