John Eccles: The Judgment of Paris (2009)

England was really slow to embrace operas that had singing from start to finish; some attendees were mostly interested in seeing the plays and not too crazy about the opera part. In order to help stimulate acceptance of a theatrical form that was all the rage in continental Europe, a competition was held in 1700 for the best opera on the subject of The Judgment of Paris, with a libretto by no less than the great playwright who coined the very term "Music has charms to soothe a savage breast" in his play The Mourning Bride ... Read More

England was really slow to embrace operas that had singing from start to finish; some attendees were mostly interested in seeing the plays and not too crazy about the opera part. In order to help stimulate acceptance of a theatrical form that was all the rage in continental Europe, a competition was held in 1700 for the best opera on the subject of The Judgment of Paris, with a libretto by no less than the great playwright who coined the very term "Music has charms to soothe a savage breast" in his play The Mourning Bride , William Congreve. Four composers responded to the challenge -- Daniel Purcell, Gottfried Finger, John Weldon, and John Eccles -- whose entry this Chandos recording, Eccles: The Judgment of Paris, represents. It is given by the Early Opera Company under Christian Curnyn and features a cast led by baritone Roderick Williams.Eccles, then serving as the King's Master of Musick, did not win the big prize, Weldon's sing-songy effort did, which is more a referendum on the taste of... Read Less

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2009, Chandos Early Music UPC: 095115075920 CD See All