The Fairy Prince
Encyclopedia
The Fairy Prince is a masque
in three acts by composer
Thomas Arne. The English
libretto
, by George Colman the Elder
, is based on Ben Jonson
’s Oberon, the Faery Prince
(1611). The work premiered at the Royal Opera House
, Covent Garden
in London
on 12 November 1771.
. It is set by Windsor Castle
, and depicts satyr
s and fairies
who guard the castle and its inhabitants during ceremonial occasions. The masque concludes with a banquet with the King and Queen in attendance. Of particular note is the wood nymphs’ aria "Let us play and dance and sing", which has a large range of approximately 2 and a half octaves and has some impressive coloratura
passages. The Act 1 choral finale, "Then all the air shall ring", is also particularly fine.
The Fairy Prince was very well received at its premiere and was performed 36 times during the 1771-1772 season. While critics and audiences praised both the music and the elaborate sets of the production, the work was strangely never revived. The masque's score was published in 1771 but without the dance music, recitatives, and some of the choruses.
Masque
The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment which flourished in 16th and early 17th century Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy, in forms including the intermedio...
in three acts by composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
Thomas Arne. The English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
, by George Colman the Elder
George Colman the Elder
George Colman was an English dramatist and essayist, usually called "the Elder", and sometimes "George the First", to distinguish him from his son, George Colman the Younger....
, is based on Ben Jonson
Ben Jonson
Benjamin Jonson was an English Renaissance dramatist, poet and actor. A contemporary of William Shakespeare, he is best known for his satirical plays, particularly Volpone, The Alchemist, and Bartholomew Fair, which are considered his best, and his lyric poems...
’s Oberon, the Faery Prince
Oberon, the Faery Prince
Oberon, the Faery Prince was a masque written by Ben Jonson, with costumes, sets and stage effects designed by Inigo Jones, and music by Alfonso Ferrabosco and Robert Johnson...
(1611). The work premiered at the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
, Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 12 November 1771.
History
Despite being designated as a masque, the work is sung throughout, and is in many respects reminiscent of a comic operaComic opera
Comic opera denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending.Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a new operatic genre, opera buffa, emerged as an alternative to opera seria...
. It is set by Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
, and depicts satyr
Satyr
In Greek mythology, satyrs are a troop of male companions of Pan and Dionysus — "satyresses" were a late invention of poets — that roamed the woods and mountains. In myths they are often associated with pipe-playing....
s and fairies
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
who guard the castle and its inhabitants during ceremonial occasions. The masque concludes with a banquet with the King and Queen in attendance. Of particular note is the wood nymphs’ aria "Let us play and dance and sing", which has a large range of approximately 2 and a half octaves and has some impressive coloratura
Coloratura
Coloratura has several meanings. The word is originally from Italian, literally meaning "coloring", and derives from the Latin word colorare . When used in English, the term specifically refers to elaborate melody, particularly in vocal music and especially in operatic singing of the 18th and...
passages. The Act 1 choral finale, "Then all the air shall ring", is also particularly fine.
The Fairy Prince was very well received at its premiere and was performed 36 times during the 1771-1772 season. While critics and audiences praised both the music and the elaborate sets of the production, the work was strangely never revived. The masque's score was published in 1771 but without the dance music, recitatives, and some of the choruses.