Barnes Music Festival - Purcell King Arthur

The centrepiece of this year’s Festival is the spectacular King Arthur, one of Purcell’s best known works with libretto by John Dryden. It is a ‘dramatick opera’ in five acts and is based on the battles between King Arthur’s Britons and the Saxons. It contains some of Purcell’s most lyrical music using adventurous harmonies and dance rhythms.

Between the acts, the spoken interludes will be brought up to date with references to our current political and social environment delivered by three Barnes celebrities: Gyles Brandreth, Patricia Hodge and Alistair McGowan.

The opera is directed by Christopher Bucknall, a rising star in the opera house and on the concert platform including Conductor for English Touring Opera and Chorus Master for the English National Opera. He conducts the Rare Theatricall group playing on period instruments.