Jump to content

Brutus of Alba (play)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Brutus of Alba
Written byNahum Tate
Date premieredJune 1678
Place premieredDorset Garden Theatre, London
Original languageEnglish
GenreTragedy

Brutus of Alba; Or, The Enchanted Lovers is a 1678 tragedy by the Irish writer Nahum Tate. It was first performed by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London. The name's of the original cast are unknown.[1] The published version was dedicated to the Duke of Dorset.

It was based on the fourth book of the Aeneid by Virgil, and was produced in the context of the Exclusion Crisis. Tate was at the time a supporter of James, Duke of York and the play is strongly propagandistic about the Stuart monarchy. Tate later took elements of the play for the libretto of Dido and Aeneas, scored by Henry Purcell.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Van Lennep p.270
  2. ^ Welch p.184

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Van Lennep, W. The London Stage, 1660-1800: Volume One, 1660-1700. Southern Illinois University Press, 1960.
  • Welch, Anthony. The Renaissance Epic and the Oral Past. Yale University Press, 2012.