Brutus of Alba (play)
| Brutus of Alba | |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Written by | Nahum Tate |
| Genre | Tragedy |
| Premiere | |
| Date | June 1678 |
| Place | Dorset Garden Theatre, London |
Brutus of Alba; Or, The Enchanted Lovers is a 1678 tragedy by the Irish writer Nahum Tate.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3]
References
- ↑ "Brutus of Alba, or, The enchanted lovers a tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre / written by N. Tate". The Online Books Page. University of Pennsylvania Libraries. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
- ↑ Van Lennep p.270
- ↑ Welch p.184
Bibliography
- 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.