Henry Purcell’s only Opera proper Dido and Aeneas is a magnificent example of English Baroque music with lively dances and passionate aria sections that demonstrate Purcell’s masterful compositional and choral writing skill. Based on a libretto by Nahum Tate it was first performed in 1689 comprises three acts and lasts about an hour. Filled with dramatic lyricism with a wide range of musical and emotional content it is a monumental Baroque composition considered to be one of England’s foremost operatic works. Dido and Aeneas contains all the elements for a successful opera including a shipwreck sorcery love and lost love anddeath. This is the Vocal and Full Operatic Score edited by Margaret Laurie and Thurston Dart. With its interesting and imaginative realization and authentic editorial process this is an excellent edition that features some performing choices and variants and also includes the reconstructed prologue.

'Il Ritorno D'Ulisse In Patria' (The Return Of Ulysses) was first performed in Venice in 1640. Its stature among dramatic works of the seventeenth century has grown considerably and is now one of the most frequently performed of Baroque Operas. Alan Curtis has produced the first complete performing edition to be drawn from all available sources carefully annotated throughout the figured bass completed and the newly edited libretto and argomento given in full. Along with a useful scholarly preface and numerous corrections of notes rhythms and harmonies this edition is also of particular service for its careful corrections of the faulty libretto which has until now had to servefor all modern performances. Libretto by Giacomo Badoaro. English Libretto by Anne Ridler.