Venus and Adonis - John Blow
The opera opens on Cupid extolling his own virtues, and explaining to a group of curious and playful shepherds what love is really all about. The scene then moves to the goddess Venus (Cupid's mother) and the mortal huntsman Adonis, who are deeply in love, and are revelling in their passion when they hear the huntsman's call. Venus exhorts her lover to go hunting as is his duty, but Adonis states he will not go, as he has caught all he could ever want in capturing her heart. However, she entreats him further, and despite his protestations, leaves him to his fellow huntsmen, who convince him to lead the hunt of the biggest boar they have yet encountered.
Act II begins with Cupid teaching a group of little Cupids how to treat their victims. Venus, in a fit of joy, declares a holiday for the cupids, and the Graces descend to sing her praises.
In Act III, Venus is troubled by a vision she has seen that presages death, and worries about Adonis. He enters injured, having been gored by the bull, and, having said farewell to his goddess, dies in her arms. All nature mourns for him, and for Venus' lost love
The opera opens on Cupid extolling his own virtues, and explaining to a group of curious and playful shepherds what love is really all about. The scene then moves to the goddess Venus (Cupid's mother) and the mortal huntsman Adonis, who are deeply in love, and are revelling in their passion when they hear the huntsman's call. Venus exhorts her lover to go hunting as is his duty, but Adonis states he will not go, as he has caught all he could ever want in capturing her heart. However, she entreats him further, and despite his protestations, leaves him to his fellow huntsmen, who convince him to lead the hunt of the biggest boar they have yet encountered.
Act II begins with Cupid teaching a group of little Cupids how to treat their victims. Venus, in a fit of joy, declares a holiday for the cupids, and the Graces descend to sing her praises.
In Act III, Venus is troubled by a vision she has seen that presages death, and worries about Adonis. He enters injured, having been gored by the bull, and, having said farewell to his goddess, dies in her arms. All nature mourns for him, and for Venus' lost love
Dido and Aeneas - Henry Purcell
Act I sees Dido, Queen of Carthage, deeply troubled by her love for Aeneas, a Trojan warrior, as she is unsure it is reciprocated.
However, her lady-in-waiting, Belinda, assures her that it is, and Aeneas enters and confirms his love for her. The assembled company decide to go hunting in the open country as a delighful way to spend the day.
In Act II, the scene ssmoves to a cave, which houses the evil Sorceror and his witches. They hate Dido, and thus hatch a plan to ensure her downfall: they will send a spirit in the guise of Mercury to Aeneas to remind him of his mission of finding a new homeland for his people, and thus to tell him that he must leave Carthage at once. At this, they are sure, the Queen will die of grief. But first, to cause still more mischief, they decide to conjure a storm over the hunting party, to ruin their day. It is as the happy party are heading back to town because of the sudden downpour that the Spirit appears to Aeneas to tell him he must set sail that night. Aeneas reluctantly agrees, but wonders how he will tell Dido this terrible news.
Act III sees Aeneas' sailors preparing for their departure, before the scene is interrupted by the arrival of the Sorceror and the witches, who delight in how well their plan has worked, and the fact that this will surely lead to the destruction of Carthage.
The scene changes to Dido's palace, where she is distrught at Aeneas' absence. However, he soon returns, telling her that he has been ordered to leave but that he will defy the gods and stay if that is her will, but she tells him to leave, as she is betrayed by the idea he even thought of leaving. Once he has left, though, she knows that her end has come, and tells Belinda to 'remember her, but forget her fate' before dying.
