Act One, Scene One

King Arthur has at last secured his entire kingdom against the Saxons. Their leader is Oswald, whose ambitions include Arthur's beloved, the blind Emmeline. For his decisive battle against Oswald's forces, Arthur is forced to part from Emmeline.

Scene Two (Sung)

Oswald, his magician Osmond, and the spirit Grimbald gather in their place of worship to perform a victory ceremony. Grimbald brings in six Saxon victims, while priests and singers crowd around. They pray, and the six victims are led off-stage by priests. An off-stage battle can be heard, followed by a Briton song of triumph.

Act Two, Scene One

The spirit Philidel comes to warn Merlin that the Britons, in pursuit of the Saxons, are being led by Grimbald toward cliffs, where they will be tricked into falling to their deaths. Merlin commands him to protect the Britons.

(Sung) Grimbald enters, disguised as a shepherd, with Arthur and his forces following behind. When he's about to lead them off the cliff, Philidel and Merlin's spirits intervene. Grimbald disappears in a flash of light. Arthur gives thanks.

(Unsung) Emmeline and Matilda enter, discussing Arthur. Matilda encourages Emmeline to allow herself to be entertained by the present group of Kentish folk.

(Sung) The Kentish folk arrive, sing happy songs, and dance, enacting rituals of courtship. Oswald captures Emmeline and Matilda. The Britons prepare to rescue them.

Act Three, Scene One

The Britons are frightened by the magic the Saxons are using to protect themselves, but Arthur wants to rescue Emmeline and is prepared to do so alone. Merlin makes a promise to teleport him to her side and cure her blindness.

Scene Two

In a deep wood, Grimbald has captured Philidel, but the latter escapes and casts a spell over Grimbald. Merlin and Arthur enter. The wizard gives Philidel the potion that will cure Emmeline and leaves, planning to break Osmond's enchantment of the wood.

Emmeline and Matilda enter. Philidel sprinkles the potion over Emmeline's eyes, curing her. Philidel warns that the enemy is approaching. All exit but the two women. Osmond approaches and passionately woos Emmeline, declaring that he's jailed Oswald, his rival for her.

The Frost Scene (sung)

To impress Emmeline, Osmond transforms the British climate into that of Iceland. Cupid arrives, singing awake the Cold Genius who lies beneath the snow. Cupid then uses his wand to reveal a prospect of ice and snow, whereupon dancers and singers merrily dance and sing, then depart. Osmond makes lustful advances upon Emmeline, from which she is saved only when the ensnared Grimbald cries out for rescue, distracting Osmond.

Act Four, Scene One

Learning that Merlin has broken his spells, Osmond makes plans to seduce Arthur with beautiful visions.

Scene Two

Arthur is left alone in a wood, Merlin having warned him against Osmond's illusions, only Philidel is there to watch over him.

(Sung) Instead of the expected dangers, Arthur finds a golden bridge across a silvery stream. As he approaches, a pair of sirens emerge from the water and entreat him to stay. Despite temptation, Arthur moves on. Nymphs and sylvans now emerge from behind trees, dancing, bedecked with branches, and singing of love.

Arthur dispels them all with a command. Drawing his sword, he strikes at the finest tree in the wood. A phantasm of Emmeline appears, with her arm wounded from the blow. As he lays down his weapon to take her hand, Philidel reveals that she is Grimbald in disguise. Arthur breaks the enchantment by chopping down the tree.

Act Five, Scene One

Osmond releases Oswald so they can fight Arthur together.

Scene Two

Oswald proposes single combat between himself and Arthur. Arthur disarms Oswald, but allows him to live. Meanwhile, Merlin overpowers Osmond and imprisons him. Arthur sends Oswald and his forces back to Saxony.

(Sung) Upon a wave of Merlin's wand, the scene changes to the stormy British Ocean. Aeolus is there in a cloud above. He sings, then ascends away and the sea grows calm. An island arises, with Britannia enthroned upon it. The fishermen at her feet come ashore and dance, followed by the arrival of Pan and Nereid. They also sing and Comus arrives with a group of peasants who sing of the joys of country life. As they dance, Venus descends, accompanied by the Masculine and Feminine aspects of love. Venus praises Britain, and the couple dialogue in song about the vicissitudes of love.

(Sung) The scene now opens upon the Order of the Garter, and Honour enters, with various heroes in attendance, and the opera ends.

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The "operatic" hit of the last decade of the seventeenth century in London was the work of a composer already being acknowledged England's best ever and the poet (John Dryden) who then and now is considered the best of his century. Technically, the work is called a "semi-opera," as it was a mixture of spoken passages and musical ones. The English were not ready to embrace full-length grand operas in the French or Italian styles in their own language.

It is set in the time of King Arthur's battles against the Saxon King Oswald (and his Wizard Merlin against Oswald's wizard Osmond). Each scene is full of action, be it ritual, pageantry, battle, or scenes of magic, and all the music flows directly from the action in a convincing manner. The dramatic crux of the story is Arthur's wooing of the blind Queen Emmeline. (It is a peculiar convention of semi-operas of the time that the two leading characters do not sing, but this was not a disadvantage as then many of the leading singers were not convincing actors.)

The production was by the Theatre Royal company at Dorset Garden on the Thames at Blackfriars, which had the stage machinery needed for the fast and elaborate special effects and scene changes.

"Fairest Isle" is one of the best-known airs from Purcell's theatrical works. Its placement in the opera is a choice of genius. It flows straight out of a drunken, dancing revel by peasants. The sudden change of mood is a thing of beauty, and the song "Fairest Isle" praises the goddess Venus in dignified and elegant phrases.

The "fairest isle" of the title is not, by the way, Britain, but Venus' birthplace, Cyprus.

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