“Come, let us leave the town!” The desire to flee is pressing and gives voice to urgency in the Prelude to Act I: The Fairy Queen – a semi-opera by Henry Purcell – is a true eulogy to the thrill of the great escape. This delicious Shakespearian whimsy – drawn directly from A Midsummer Night’s Dream – glitters with the dizzying freedom of tone of its libretto. From this lively and, occasionally, disparate text, Purcell draws his own brand of shimmering, poetic music. His expertise buffets the listener from one atmosphere to another and efficiently alternates solo airs, ensemble pieces, instrumental refrains and delicate choral pieces. To breathe life into the rich cast of fairies and lovers found in the score, sonic imagination and the energy of conductor Paul McCreesh are the order of the day. Directing his musicians from the Gabrieli Consort & Players, this British conductor – a Purcell specialist – will doubtless do astounding justice to the joyful diversity that makes the work so rewarding.
“Come, let us leave the town…”
