Spiritato & Julian Perkins
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 (godeess of war) or Juno (goddess of marriage).
Spiritato are joined here by director and harpsichordist Julian Perkins and the Rodolfus Choir. The roles of the five protagonists are superbly brought to life by Anna Dennis (Venus), Amy Freston (Pallas), Ciara Hendrick (Juno), Samuel Boden (Paris) and Ashley Riches (Mercury).
Extra material for download
