Venus and Adonis

Alternative title

Masque for the Entertainment of the King, A

Synopsis

Radio broadcast of John Blow’s miniature opera which is based on the classical fable of Venus and Adonis. Anthony Lewis conducts The Boyd Neel Orchestra and The BBC Singers.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Radio

Transmission details

12 May 1939 at 21:45 (Channel: BBC National Programme)

Duration

55 mins

Availability

No copy extant

Credits

Music

John Blow

Contributor

Anthony Lewis

Cast

Eric Greene	Shepherd
Eric Greene	Huntsman
Henry Cummings	Adonis
Laelia Finneberg	Venus
Margaret Field-Hyde	Cupid
Sibylla Marshall	Shepherdess
Victor Harding	Shepherd

Additional Details

Production type

Operas and Musicals

Subjects

Music

Keywords

Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

General

English Baroque composer John Blow allegedly wrote this opera around 1682 for Moll Davies and her daughter, Lady Mary Tudor, both of whom also performed in it.
The piece is usually classified either as a semi-opera or a masque, but The New Grove Dictionary of Music names it as the earliest surviving English opera.

Textual information

The author of the libretto is unknown, but Aphra Behn seems to be a likely candidate.

Production Company

Name

BBC

Notes

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)