Dioclesian

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Dioclesian (or The Prophetess, or The History of Dioclesian) is a tragicomic semi-opera in five acts by Henry Purcell to a libretto by Thomas Betterton based on the play, The Prophetess, by John Fletcher and Philip Massinger, which in turn was based very loosely on the life of the Emperor Diocletian. It was premiered in late May of 1690 at Queen's Theatre, Dorset Garden. The play was first produced in 1622. Choreogaphy for the various dances was provided by Josias Priest. who worked with Purcell on several other semi-operas.

[edit] Synopsis

The story is about the struggle for power in Ancient Rome. Delphia, a prophetess, foretells that Diocles, a footsoldier, will become emperor after he kills a "mighty boar". Diocles does not take the prophesy seriously, and jokes that if this occurs he will marry Delphia's ill-favored niece Drusilla. It turns out that a soldier, Volutius Aper, nicknamed "the boar" has murdered the old emperor, and Diocles kills Aper in revenge. In reward for this action he is made co-emperor and renames himself Dioclesian. He ignores his promise to marry Drusilla, and courts the princess Aurelia instead. This angers Delphia, who brings a stop to the wedding ceremony by conjuring a storm and giant monster. She then causes the princess to fall in love with Diocles' rival Maximillian, and the Persians to defeat the Roman army. Diocles realises the error of his ways, routes the invaders, cedes his half of the throne to Maximillian, and moves to Lombardy with Drusilla.

Betterton added scenes in order to make space for Purcell's music. Some of these additions were not appreciated at the time because they broke of the flow of drama of the play. The most famous scene from Dioclesian is the final masque, a self-contained pastoral which remained popular into the eighteenth century about Cupid taming Jupiter.

[edit] Recording

Purcell Collection: Timon Of Athens/Dioclesian, directed by John Eliot Gardiner with Lynne Dawson, English Baroque Soloists, and Monteverdi Choir. Elektra (1995). ASIN: B000005ED7