DVD: H. Purcell

King Arthur

Henry Purcell’s magnificent masterpiece King Arthur, composed in 1691 with a libretto by the playwright John Dryden, is among the most outstanding and beloved works of English opera from this era. Who does not know the famous “Frost Scene” or “Fairest Isle”? The opera has appeared regularly on the programmes of major opera houses around the world, both in the past and today.

At the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin, director Sven-Eric Bechtolf, together with Julian Crouch, devoted themselves to this work. The result is a wonderful production—both fantastical and perfectly attuned to the beauty of the music. Musically, too, this production leaves nothing to be desired.

The production has been released on DVD by Naxos.

Sung in English with German dialogue. Filmed in January 2017 at the Staatsoper im Schiller Theater, Berlin:

Released on
Naxos, 2020