as one of Purcell’s most colourful scores, a continuous flow of melodically rich arias alongside dances and choral sections in which the composer innovates in brilliant and virtuosic instrumental writing. With such famous material as the Cold Genius scene and the Fairest Isle song, it is not surprising that King Arthur remained a much-played masterpiece for many decades in in the 18th century.
Based on a text by the poet John Dryden, King Arthur was first performed in London in 1691, four years before the death of Henry Purcell, the ‘British Orpheus’, at the age of 36. The work was not published until 1843.
Gabrieli Consort & Players’ award-winning performance of the semi-opera King Arthur has delighted audiences around the world. Renowned interpreters of Henry Purcell’s music, after 20 years of concert practice and scholarship, Gabrieli Consort & Players together with Paul McCreesh have created a new production of King Arthur, breathing new life into this masterpiece of British theatre music. An ensemble of nine solo singers and a small chamber orchestra – musical forces with which Purcell himself would sense a kinship – combine to make this an intimate, unique and compelling concert that is joyful, lyrical and endlessly colourful. Recently recorded for the Gabrieli Consort & Players’ recording company Winged Lion, King Arthur has received international recognition, winning the 2020 BBC Music Magazine’s Opera Award and overall Recording of the Year Award, while the 2019 Australian tour of the work received the Helpmann Award for Best Chamber/Instrumental Ensemble Performance.
Paul McCreesh is renowned for the energy and passion of his musicianship and the interpretive insight he brings to repertoire of the greatest stylistic and historical breadth. His authoritatie performances are based on uncompromising drive and vision, alongside a hunger for new challenges. Artistic Director of Gabrieli Consort & Players since its founding, he is now guest-conducts some of the world’s finest orchestras, including the Leipzig Gewandhaus, Bergen Philharmonic, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Sydney Symphony, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Montreal Symphony, New Japan Philharmonic, Verbier Festival Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra and Dallas Symphony. He was a former Principal Conductor and Artistic Director at the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon, and served for six seasons as Artistic Director of the Wratislavia Cantans Festival in Wrocław, Poland. At the heart of McCreesh’s music-making is a determination to broaden access to the arts. In the UK, he directs Gabrieli’s Roar project for young singers and is renowned for his ambition to expanding opportunities in music education for all. McCreesh’s ever-questioning spirit makes him a difficult artist to categories; he is as likely to be found conducting Purcell’s theatre works as Elgar’s symphonies or an a cappella part song. He is particularly known for his performances of major choral works such as Britten’s War Requiem, Mendelssonh’s Elias, Verdi’s Requiem, Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius and Haydyn’s The Creation and The Seasons. He brings to all this repertoire the same rigorous scholarship and interpretative flair that defined his early career, continuing to confirm his repuation for innovation. With a 30-year recording career which includes many iconic projects and numerous award-winning benchmark recordings, he is well known as one of today’s most highly regarded recording artists.