Purcell’s Playground

A musical portrait of one of England’s greatest composers

Music is “nature’s voice”. Thus sang the counter-tenor Henry Purcell in his own composition from 1692, the ode Hail, Bright Cecilia  - and he did it with ‘incredible Graces’ according to the Gentleman’s Journal. Even today, Purcell is celebrated as Orpheus Britannicus – the composer that made the English language come to life through music.

Henry Purcell’s unique musical style captured the essence of the political dramas of his time. He presented his material with typically sharp British humour and was also one of the great musical interpreters of Shakespeare and other contemporary writers. In Purcell’s Playground, Bjarte Eike and Barokksolistene create their own interpretations of Purcell’s rich oeuvre, including excerpts from the operas Dido and Aeneas and The Fairy Queen, sacred music and secular songs and dances.