Dido and Aeneas (1688)

Desktop background

Images to be used as background for computer screen.

Ah! Belinda, I am prest (♦) (♦) - 1280x1024, 1920x1024 pixel
Oft she visits this loved mountain (♦) (♦) - 1280x1024, 1920x1024 pixel
With drooping wings you Cupids come (♦) (♦) - 1280x1024, 1920x1024 pixel

Incipit of pieces

Incipit of pieces set in alphabetical order.

Ah! Belinda, I am prest, First Act, scene 1
Behold, upon my bending spear, Second Act, scene 2
But ah! what language can I try, Second Act, scene 2
But death, alas! I cannot shun, Third Act, scene 1
But e're we, we this perform, Second Act, scene 1
But the jolly nymph Thitis that long his love sought,, The Prologue, scene 2
Come away, fellow sailors, your anchors be weighing, Third Act, scene 1
Cupid only throws the dart, First Act, scene 2
Destruction our delight, delight our greatest sorrow!, Third Act, scene 1
Fear no danger to ensue, First Act, scene 1
From Aurora's spicy bed, The Prologue, scene 1
Great minds against themselves conspire, Third Act, scene 1
Grief increasing by concealing, First Act, scene 1
Harm's our delight and mischief all our skill, Second Act, scene 1
Haste, haste to town, this open field, Second Act, scene 2
Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho!, Second Act, scene 1
Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho!, Second Act, scene 1
If not for mine, for empire's sake, First Act, scene 2
In our deep vaulted cell the charm we'll prepare, Second Act, scene 1
Jolly shepherds come away, The Prologue, scene 2
Let us love and happy live, The Prologue, scene 2
Look down ye orbs and see, The Prologue, scene 1
Oft she visits this loved mountain, Second Act, scene 2
Our next motion, Third Act, scene 1
Our youth and form declare, The Prologue, scene 2
Pursue thy conquest, love; her eyes, First Act, scene 2
Ruin'd e're the set of sun?, Second Act, scene 1
Say Beldam say what's thy will, Second Act, scene 1
See the Spring in all her glory, The Prologue, scene 2
See the flags and streamers curling, Third Act, scene 1
See, your royal guest appears, First Act, scene 2
Shake the cloud from off your brow, First Act, scene 1
Stay, prince and hear great Jove's command, Second Act, scene 2
Tell, tell me, prithee dolly, The Prologue, scene 2
Thanks to these lovesome vales, Second Act, scene 2
The queen of Carthage whom we hate, Second Act, scene 1
Then since our charmes have sped, Second Act, scene 2
Thy hand, Belinda, darkness shades me, Third Act, scene 1
To the hills and the vales, to the rocks and the mountains, First Act, scene 2
Wayward sisters, you that fright, Second Act, scene 1
What shall lost Aeneas do?, Third Act, scene 1
When I am laid in earth, may my wrongs create, Third Act, scene 1
When monarchs unite how happy their state, First Act, scene 1
Whence could so much virtue spring?, First Act, scene 1
With drooping wings you Cupids come, Third Act, scene 1
Your counsel all is urged in vain, Third Act, scene 1

Acts and scenes

Libretto acts' and scenes' list.

The Prologue

Scene: the sea
Phoebus rises in the chariot, over the sea. The Nereids out of the sea.
Scene: the grove
The Spring enters with her Nymphs

First Act

Scene: the palace
[Enter Dido and Belinda, and Train.]
Scene: the baske
[Aeneas enters with his Train.]

Second Act

Scene: the cave
[Enter Sorceress.]
Scene: the grove
[Enter Aeneas, Dido, Belinda, and their Train.]

Third Act

Scene: the ships
[Enter the Sailors, the Sorceress, and her Inchanteress.]

Changes of scene painting

All the scene paintings described in the libretto.

The Prologue

Scene 1: The sea.
Scene 2: The grove

First Act

Scene 1: The palace
Scene 2: The baske.

Second Act

Scene 1: The cave
Scene 2: The grove.

Third Act

Scene 1: The ships.

The acts in brief

For every act the synthesis of the scene paintings, of the pieces, of performers' entrance and leaving, of the main passages.

Musical numbers

Score musical numbers and their incipit, with link to libretto.

Ouverture

First Act

N. 1 - Scena and Chorus (Shake the cloud from off your brow, scene 1)
N. 2 – Song (Ah! Belinda, I am prest, scene 1)
N. 3 - Recitative (Grief increasing by concealing, scene 1)
N. 4 - Chorus (When monarchs unite how happy their state, scene 1)
N. 5 - Recitative (Whence could so much virtue spring?, scene 1)
N. 6 - Duet and Chorus (Fear no danger to ensue, scene 1)
N. 7 - Recitative (See, your royal guest appears, scene 2)
N. 8 - Chorus (Cupid only throws the dart, scene 2)
N. 9 - Recitative (If not for mine, for empire's sake, scene 2)
N. 10 - Air (Pursue thy conquest, love; her eyes, scene 2)
N. 11 - Chorus (To the hills and the vales, to the rocks and the mountains, scene 2)
N. 12 - The triumphing dance