King arthur

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KING ARTHUR or THE BRITISH WORTHY
Semi opera in five actsLibretto
John DrydenPremiere
May or June 1691, London (Dorset Garden Theatre)Cast
PHILADEL (Soprano)
GRIMBALD (Bass / Baritone)
SHEPHERD (Tenor)
CUPID (Soprano)
COLD GENIUS (Bass)
AEOLUS (Bass / Baritone)
VENUS (Soprano)

CHORUS
sheperds and shepherdesses, soldiers, spirits, satyrs etc.Place
BritannyTime
Middle AgesACTONEFIRST SCENE
King Arthur has secured all of his kingdom except Kent in the course of the battles with the Saxons; they are led by Oswald, who has set out to win not only his throne but his love, the blind Emmeline, daughter of Conon, Duke of Cornwall. Arthur takes leave of her for the final, decisive battle against the heathen invader.
SECOND SCENE
A place of heathen worship; the three saxongods, Woden, Thor and Freya placed on pedestals; an altar. Oswald, his magician Osmond and the earthly evil spirit Grimbald have brought victims for a sacrifice, to ensure victory in battle, and are preparing for the rites.  Grimbald goes to the door, and re-enters with six Saxons in white, with swords in their hands. They range, themselves three and three in opposition to each other. The rest ofthe stage is filled with priests and singers.BASS
Woden, first to thee
A milk-white steed, in battle won,
We have sacrific'd.CHORUS
We have sacrific'd.TENOR II
Let our next oblation be
To Thor, thy thund'ring son,
Of such another.CHORUS
We have sacrific'd.BASS
A third (of Friesland breed was he)
To Woden's wife, and to Thor's mother;
And now we have aton'd all three.CHORUS
We havesacrific'd.TENOR I & II
The white horse neigh'd aloud.
To Woden thanks we render,
To Woden we have vow'd,
To Woden, our defender.CHORUS
To Woden thanks we render,
To Woden we have vow'd,
To Woden, our defender.SOPRANO
The lot is cast, and Tanfan pleas'd;
Of mortal cares you shall be eas'd.CHORUS
Brave souls, to be renown'd in story.
Honour prizing,
Death despising,
Fame acquiring
Byexpiring,
Die and reap the fruit of glory.TENOR I
I call you all
To Woden's Hall,
Your temples round
With ivy bound
In goblets crown'd,
And plenteous bowls of burnish'd gold,
Where ye shall laugh
And dance and quaff
The juice that makes the Britons bold.CHORUS
To Woden's Hall all,
Where in plenteous bowls of burnish'd gold,
We shall laugh
And dance and quaff
The juice that makes theBritons bold.The six Saxons are led off by the priests, in order to be sacrificed. Exeunt omnes. A battle supposed to be given behind the scenes, with drums, trumpets, and military shouts and excursions, after which the Britons, expressing their joy for the victory, sing this song of triumph.TENOR II
"Come if you dare," our trumpets sound.
"Come if you dare," the foes rebound.
We come, wecome, we come, we come,"
Says the double, double, double beat of
the thund'ring drum.CHORUS
"Come if you dare," our trumpets sound, etc.TENOR II
Now they charge on amain.
Now they rally again.
The Gods from above the mad labour behold,
And pity mankind that will perish for gold.CHORUS
Now they charge on amain, etc.TENOR II
The fainting Saxons quit their ground,
Their trumpets languish intheir sound,
They fly, they fly, they fly, they fly,
"Victoria, Victoria," the bold Britons cry.CHORUS
The fainting Saxons quit their ground, etc.TENOR II
Now the victory's won,
To the plunder we run,
We return to our lasses like fortunate traders,
Triumphant with spoils of the vanquish'd invaders.CHORUS
Now the victory's won, etc.
ACT TWOPhilidel, a repentant airy spirit, reports to Merlinthat Grimbald is approaching and will attempt to mislead the conquering Britons to cliffs, where they will fall to their deaths, by telling them that they are pursuing the retreating Saxons. Merlin commands Philidel, assisted by his band of spirits, to protect the Britons and counter. Grimbald's forces. Exit Merlin in this chariot. Merlin's spirits stay with Philidel. Enter Grimbald in the habit...