Songs

Prologue 'In May, in brilliant Athens'

by Benjamin Britten From Phaedra

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Text

Prologue 'In May, in brilliant Athens'
English source: Jean Racine trans. Robert Lowell

In May, in brilliant Athens, on my marriage day,
I turned aside for shelter from the smile
of Theseus. Death was frowning in an aisle –
Hippolytus! I saw his face, turned white!

Composer

Benjamin Britten

Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976) was an English composer, conductor and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British classical music, with a range of works including opera, other vocal music,…

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