
Daniel Purcell: The Judgment of Paris
Anna Dennis (soprano)
Amy Freston (soprano)
Ciara Hendrick (mezzo-soprano)
Samuel Boden (tenor)
Ashley Riches (bass)
Rodolfus Choir
Spiritato
Julian Perkins (director)
In their second album for the Resonus label, the London-based early music group Spiritato present the world premiere recording of Daniel Purcell's opera The Judgment of Paris.
Composed for the Music Prize of 1700-01 to a libretto by William Congreve, Daniel, the younger cousin or brother of Henry Purcell, here demonstrates an endlessly inventive and innovative style in a bold attempt to create a school of all-sung English opera. Used by all of the four entrants to the Music Prize (John Eccles, Gottfried Finger, John Weldon and Daniel Purcell), the libretto tells the tale of a shepherd Paris, who is visited by a messenger of the Gods, Mercury, who gives him the Golden Apple of Discord, which he has to award to the most deserving of three goddesses - Venus (goddess of love), Pallas (goddess of war) or Juno (goddess of marriage).
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