“Dido and Aeneas” by Henry Purcell

I watched Henry Purcell’s opera “Dido and Aeneas” conducted by Philippe Pierlot staring Romina Basso & Nuria Rial. I liked the opera so I also watched another production by William Christie.

Before I listened to Baroque opera, I only knew a few songs by Purcell. From the modern tunes with dark spookiness of these music, I thought him as Romantic era composer and it was kind of surprise to know that he was actually Baroque era composer.

He’s very interesting composer whose music is different from any other classical composers’. His music is very English and modern. He wrote hauntingly beautiful music, which has melancholic simplicity but has strongly directive emotional appeal.

Somehow some of his music also reminds me of 70’s Progressive rock such as Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Genesis and Brian Eno. I think it’s not only because Baroque music in general specially early Baroque music (and also some Romantic era music) is much closer to modern pop music in harmony than Classical music, it is also something to do with the fact that modern pop music was evolved from English/Irish folk music.