Dido and Aeneas

• This is the first ever absolutely complete recording of Purcell's master piece Dido and Aeneas, written in 1689. The opera was written on the occasion of the joint coronation of William III and Mary Stuart as King and Queen of England and was at the first performances preceded by a Prologue. Of this Prologue, the text still exists, but Purcell's original music for it is lost. For this recording the music has been reconstructed from other works by Purcell, so that for the first time in musical history the work is presented as complete as possible, since to the Opera itself the two dances for solo guitar (indicated in the original score) were also added!

• In the richly illustrated, 56 page booklet, with the texts of Prologue and Opera in the original English plus translations into French and German, there are articles on the historical background of the opera and the meanlng and importance of the Prologue in historical perspective.

• This One CD item is presented in a beautiful and expensive box with the booklet separately included.

• An item that will appeal to every serious music lover who is more interested in authentic, stylish and deeply moving performances rather than using Purcell's unique opera as a vehicle for a star with little or no interest in the rest of the ensemble!

The ensemble in this performance comprises some of tbe best and most respected singers in the field of authentic performances, who work regularly with such famous baroque conductors as Ton Koopman, Frans Brüggen and Gustav Leonhardt. The Academy of the Begynhof, Amsterdam, consists of an international group of instrumentalists and singers who work regularly together in concerts and radio and television performances. They are all baroque performance specialists with international experience. Roderick Shaw has appeared as a guest conductor all over Europe after finishing his studies at Cambridge University, England, where he was organist of Jesus College and conductor of the University Orchestra. He formed the Academy of the Begynhof in 1981 and is their principal conductor.